Seven gas network operators from southern Thuringia and northern Bavaria have joined forces to connect energy-intensive companies along the Rennsteig to the national hydrogen network. The glass industry in particular could benefit from this initiative in the long term.
Together, the distribution network operators (DNOs) announced in a press release on June 5 that they aim to work with their upstream transmission system operator (TSO), Ferngas Netzgesellschaft, to connect their region to the hydrogen core network. According to current plans, this network is "far away" from the companies in the Rennsteig region. Therefore, the goal is to connect the planned "hydrogen highway" with "federal, state, and district roads."
To achieve this, the partners first want to determine the expected hydrogen demands in their network areas to take "further steps" based on this information. The aim is to ensure "joint, forward-looking, and needs-based planning" to guarantee a "safe, affordable, and efficient transformation of the infrastructure."
The network operators also want to involve their customers. For instance, DNO Bayernwerk, together with the HySON Institute for Applied Hydrogen Research (Sonneberg), will host a workshop for energy-intensive large gas customers interested in a hydrogen connection in early February 2024.
No Core Network Connection for Rennsteig
The hydrogen core network presented by the TSOs in November 2023 is expected to be approved by the Federal Network Agency before the summer break of 2024. The next step would be an integrated network development plan (NEP) for gas and hydrogen, which a coordination office, established at the end of May, is to submit to the Federal Network Agency for the first time in 2025.
The NEP will include plans for the expansion of the hydrogen network for the years 2025 to 2035. For the seven DNOs from southern Thuringia and northern Bavaria, the NEP offers the opportunity to highlight regional needs that the core network does not consider. Thus, it could be proposed to include "one or more" hydrogen supply points in the Rennsteig region.
With this initiative, the network operators are "proactively and prudently doing their homework." Initial funding measures have already been initiated at the European, national, and regional levels. However, a prerequisite for connecting to the core network is "that hydrogen and other green gases are available on the market in sufficient quantities and at competitive prices."
Background
The initiative's background was a meeting of the economic ministers of Bavaria and Thuringia last year. Hubert Aiwanger and Wolfgang Tiefensee launched a cross-border model region aimed at decarbonizing, especially the glass industry along the Rennsteig. One of the fields of action defined in an impulse paper includes the conversion from natural gas to hydrogen.
According to the paper, it should be examined "to what extent the gas network operators can enable the glass industry along the Rennsteig to connect to the national hydrogen network." Additionally, there is also "great interest" in such a connection among many energy-intensive companies in the northwest Upper Franconia region.
The seven network operators are:
- Ferngas Netzgesellschaft mbH
- Licht- und Kraftwerke Sonneberg GmbH
- SÜC Energie und H2O GmbH (Coburg)
- TEN Thüringer Energienetze GmbH
According to their own information, the companies supply around 200 industrial and commercial businesses and nearly 100 municipalities with gas.
