ARNSBERG. The Hydronet hydrogen project in the Sauerland region is gaining momentum. Project participants at a conference in Arnsberg were convinced that it is a "blueprint for the hydrogen ramp-up in Germany."
Hydronet was launched in the fall of 2024 and is intended to demonstrate how a regional hydrogen economy can function, encompassing production, transport, storage, and application. The focus is on hydrogen use by SMEs, which have previously used natural gas as an energy source. Hydrogen is expected to be used in sectors such as automotive supply, paper production, metal processing, and mobility.
The project is "groundbreaking" and demonstrates "how we can successfully combine climate protection and competitiveness in the long term," said CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader Friedrich Merz, according to a statement. The five-year project is located in the politician's constituency.
An eleven-kilometer-long former natural gas pipeline between Arnsberg and Balve will form the backbone of the Hydronet network. The pipeline is now being prepared for the transport of climate-neutrally produced hydrogen. In the long term, the network is to be connected to the German and European hydrogen pipeline network.
Two hydrogen production processes are planned within the Hydronet project.
First, water will be split into hydrogen and oxygen through electrolysis using electricity from wind and solar power. The resulting hydrogen is also called "green."
A process called plasmalysis, in which hydrogen is extracted from methane, is also being tested. Solid carbon is produced as a byproduct. Hydrogen produced in this way is called "turquoise."
The first hydrogen is expected to flow through the former natural gas pipeline in three years.
The total cost of the project, which has been planned since 2014, is €75 million. The consortium leader is the energy company Westnetz, which is part of the E.ON subsidiary Westenergie. Westnetz alone intends to invest €29 million. €18 million in funding will come from the federal government. In addition to companies, several universities and research institutions are also involved in the project." [1]
1. Wasserstoff für den Mittelstand: Projekt im Sauerland nimmt Fahrt auf. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung; Frankfurt. 02 Apr 2025: 20.
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