(Oldenburg, Germany) – EWE AG is beginning construction of a 24-kilometer hydrogen pipeline between Emden and Leer in northern Germany. Commissioning is scheduled for autumn 2027. "H2Coastlink 1" will connect the electrolyzer in Emden to the core hydrogen network. EWE Netz is handling the planning and construction of the pipeline on behalf of GTG Nord. Both companies are subsidiaries of the EWE Group. Further pipelines are planned to be connected to the infrastructure later, including Gasunie Deutschland's HyperLink project and OGE's planned North Sea-Ruhr Link IV.
Stefan Dohler (CEO of EWE AG) and Gunnar Groebler (CEO of Salzgitter AG) sign a supply contract for green hydrogen in the presence of Lower Saxony's Minister-President Olaf Lies and BMWE State Secretary Gitta Connemann. © EWE / Gerd Markert Photography
The hydrogen production plant is designed for an installed capacity of 320 megawatts and is currently under construction. In mid-June, a purchase agreement was signed with the Lower Saxony-based steel company Salzgitter AG ( as previously reported ). According to the agreement, the Emden-based energy provider will supply 10.000 tons of hydrogen annually from 2030 onwards via the hydrogen core network for environmentally friendly steel production as part of the "Salcos" (Salzgitter Low CO2 Steelmaking) program.
Capacity 70.000 tons per year
The new pipeline will transport approximately 26.000 tons of hydrogen per year from the electrolyzer in Emden. The pipeline has a total transport capacity of more than 70.000 tons of hydrogen per year. The "Clean Hydrogen Coastline" project, aimed at developing a hydrogen economy in northwest Germany, is funded by the EU, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, and the state of Lower Saxony.
Photo above
Groundbreaking ceremony for the 24-kilometer-long hydrogen pipeline "H2Coastlink 1" between Emden and Leer (from left): Marco van der Spek (Program Manager H2Coastlink, EWE Netz), Matthias Groote (District Administrator of Leer), Tim Olbricht (Managing Director GTG Nord), Frank Reiners (Member of the Board of Management of EWE AG), Heiko Fastje (Management of EWE Netz). © EWE Netz / Carina Penning
