H2ercules – the fast track for hydrogen in Germany
The H2ercules initiative aims to create the core of the hydrogen infrastructure in Germany in XXL format by 2030. To this end, OGE, RWE and, in future, other partners are working together across the value chain in order to quickly supply consumers in the south and west of Germany with hydrogen from the north. In addition to hydrogen production on a gigawatt (GW) scale, import routes for green hydrogen are also to be opened up. The transport is to be implemented via around 1,500 kilometers of pipeline network, the majority of which is based on converted gas pipelines. The H2ercules network will connect electrolysers and storage and import facilities for green hydrogen in the north with industrial end users in the west.
Further import routes currently under development from the south and east are to be connected by 2030. In this way, H2ercules can become the backbone of a hydrogen infrastructure from the North Sea coast to southern Germany. The implementation of the project is expected to require investments in the order of 3.5 billion euros. As the majority of H2ercules is based on the conversion of existing gas pipelines, the proposal is more cost-effective overall and can be implemented much faster than a completely new construction.
The H2ercules project is based on cooperation between the companies OGE and RWE. However, this cooperation is not exclusive. Rather, the two companies are looking for other partners who are motivated to join the project and play an active role in shaping the future of the hydrogen economy within this framework.