Energy Supplier Alliance Gives Starting Signal for Regional Hydrogen Distribution Network in Frankfurt/Rhine-Main

WIESBADEN – Hydrogen is considered the energy source of the future. At the same time, the development of a local hydrogen economy is still in its early stages. The Hessian energy industry plays a crucial role here - from hydrogen production, transport and distribution to use in various applications and sectors: industry, transport, heat and power generation. The Frankfurt/Rhine-Main metropolitan region is to receive its own regional distribution network for hydrogen: “Rh ₂ ein-Main Connect” is expected to be put into operation in initial sections from 2028. The regional suppliers ENTEGA AG, Mainova AG, ESWE Liefer AG and Kraftwerke Mainz-Wiesbaden AG (KMW) as well as the transmission system operator Open Grid Europe GmbH (OGE) and the distribution system operators e-netz Südhessen AG and NRM Netzdienste Rhein-Main GmbH recently signed a corresponding cooperation agreement closed. According to current planning , the new hydrogen regional network “Rh ₂ ein-Main Connect” is intended to supply the metropolitan region with climate-neutral hydrogen through several connections to the H2 core network starting from 2028 to 2032.

“With a view to the desired climate neutrality in Hesse by 2045 at the latest, we must make a decision today as to how we want to sustainably supply industry and medium-sized businesses with climate-neutral heat and electricity in the future. In coordination with the plans to set up the hydrogen core network, we are now taking this step to build our own climate-neutral distribution network in Frankfurt/Rhine-Main together with the partners involved,” explains Dr. Marie-Luise Wolff, CEO of ENTEGA AG , on the occasion of the signing of the cooperation agreement in Wiesbaden. Dr. Jörg Bergmann, spokesman for the management of OGE , adds: “OGE has initiated the national infrastructure project “H2ercules” with partners, which will supply consumers in the south and west of Germany with green hydrogen from domestic production and via various import routes. H2ercules is part of the hydrogen core network that will open up important consumption centers, particularly the Rhine-Main region. For regional penetration, we need the distribution network operators to work together to enable decarbonization using hydrogen for a broad group of customers.” Peter Arnold, CEO of Mainova AG , adds: “The use of climate-friendly hydrogen in the heating market is crucial for effective climate protection. After all, more than half of primary energy consumption takes place here. Hydrogen also has other advantages: As a gas, it is a natural partner for renewable energies, can be stored in large volumes and is easy to transport. That’s why a decisive start to hydrogen technology and the corresponding expansion of the infrastructure are now necessary.” Dr. Oliver Malerius, CEO of KMW AG , explains: “In order to cover the increasing demand for hydrogen in both Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate until climate neutrality is achieved in 2045, the new hydrogen regional network should be dimensioned with foresight. In close collaboration with the partners involved, consumption locations with a high demand for hydrogen, for example for the generation of CO2-neutral electricity and (process) heat, are identified and pipelines are developed in the future. These developed locations also make it possible to efficiently use hydrogen in industry, commerce and private households to generate heat.” Jörg Hohler, Technical Director of ESWE Liefer AG , concludes: “What we have agreed today is a real hydrogen network for the region with a total length of approx. 300 km through the Rhine-Main area. The first sections of the initial network must be rebuilt by 2032, after which we will increasingly repurpose existing natural gas pipelines. We agree with all partners involved that hydrogen should be fed in both from long-distance pipelines and decentrally. If possible, we will also give industrial partners in the Rhine-Main area the opportunity to feed hydrogen produced by electrolysis from their plants into the new regional network. In addition, the expected investment costs for a regional hydrogen infrastructure cannot be borne by the distribution network operators alone. Support and financing programs from the public and private sectors are necessary. Here the state of Hesse can make a decisive contribution to launching the first public, climate-neutral hydrogen distribution network in Hesse together with the municipal regional suppliers.” The first sections of the hydrogen regional network “Rh ₂ ein-Main Connect” are to be built by 2028 and will ensure the supply of hydrogen to early anchor customers in the region from the time they go into operation. The new lines should, if possible, be integrated into the protective strip of the existing natural gas network. Local redistribution of hydrogen is scheduled to begin in 2032. From here on, the focus should be less on new construction and more on repurposing the existing infrastructure from natural gas to full hydrogen use in order to achieve a gradual conversion in the area. According to a demand assessment, the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main metropolitan region will initially have an annual hydrogen requirement of around 5 terawatt hours (TWh) in 2030, which will rise to around 24 TWh annually by 2045. The partners involved expect necessary investments for the planning and construction of the regional network “Rh ₂ ein-Main Connect” of around 610 million euros by 2040. Hydrogen projects in the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main metropolitan region ESWE Liefer AG and Mainova AG had already taken the first steps towards hydrogen in 2014 and , together with eleven other project partners from the municipal Thüga Group, put an electricity-to-gas demonstration plant into operation. The system converted electricity into hydrogen and then fed it into the gas distribution network. “Looking back at the project, we are convinced that this technology has the greatest long-term potential for storing excess amounts of renewable energy. For the first time, in the spirit of the energy transition, the existing gas networks were no longer just used as a traditional means of transport, but, linked to the electricity network, they also serve as a storage and transport medium for renewable energies converted into hydrogen and ensure that this is available can be used in a variety of ways,” adds Jörg Hohler .

ENTEGA AG in Darmstadt is also planning to produce green hydrogen itself at the site of the waste-to-energy plant with the “DELTA” research project. The primary aim here is to provide hydrogen for mobility, especially for public transport. “In an electrolyzer, water is energized so that hydrogen and oxygen separate from each other. The annual amount of hydrogen produced by the planned system of around 310 tons (t) is sufficient to operate around 40 buses and thus saves around 4,000 t of CO ₂ per year due to consumption. In the future, we will also investigate the use of the waste heat generated by the electrolysis process for heating purposes. This versatile hydrogen technology, which urgently needs to be further tested in Germany, is becoming increasingly important for the implementation of our climate protection goals. ENTEGA is already filling this gap with the DELTA real-world laboratory,” explains Dr. Marie Luise Wolff .

Matthias Bürk, site manager of the Merck Group at its headquarters in Darmstadt, adds: “As a science and technology company, we see ourselves as a future buyer of hydrogen in Hesse. Merck wants to be climate neutral worldwide by 2040. At the same time, security of supply is a priority. The planned construction and operation of a hydrogen distribution network from 2028 encourages us to rely on green hydrogen at our Darmstadt location in accordance with our energy strategy. We need an energy mix of renewable energies. Thanks to our own generation from geothermal energy and photovoltaics, we can contribute a part ourselves. ENTEGA is already an important strategic partner for us today, as our joint expansion with large-scale PV systems at the Merck locations in Darmstadt and Gernsheim shows.” With a view to the ongoing renovation of the Mainova AG West thermal power plant in Frankfurt, hydrogen also plays a key role. Peter Arnold comments on this as follows: “Our new model power plant will be groundbreaking for the decarbonization of the city of Frankfurt am Main. With the system technology that is already designed for the use of hydrogen, we will achieve high greenhouse gas savings from 2026. In the future, our climate protection heavyweight should supply the people of Frankfurt with heat and electricity in a CO2-neutral manner. We all benefit from this. It is important that politicians create reliable framework conditions and extend and further develop the Combined Heat and Power Act.” KMW AG is also planning to build a hydrogen-capable gas power plant on the Ingelheimer Aue. It is intended to complement renewable energies and provide electricity when there is no wind and no sun shining, in order to ensure security of supply for a CO2-free energy future in the region. The future power plant will be technically built in such a way that the initially used natural gas can be replaced as quickly and completely as possible with hydrogen. Commissioning is planned for 2028. “As a modern producer, we want to provide 100 percent climate-neutral energy and ensure long-term supply and maximum sustainability. “That’s why we’re also planning to invest in hydrogen-capable energy generation in Mainz – our power plant of the future,” explains Dr. Oliver Malerius concludes. Photo: Andreas Niedermaier, board member for human resources and infrastructure at ENTEGA (fourth row, first from left), Holger Klein, board member at e-netz Südhessen (third row, first from left) and ENTEGA board chairwoman Dr. Marie-Luise Wolff (standing between the two) together with the other project managers after signing the contract for the Rh2ein-Main Connect hydrogen regional network in Wiesbaden

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