As part of the "H₂-SWITCH100" project, Gasnetz Hamburg has begun testing whether old natural gas pipelines are also suitable for transporting hydrogen. A pilot area in the Hamburg district of Harburg was selected for the test. The network operator plans to convert the existing natural gas supply to hydrogen from 2027.
According to Gasnetz Hamburg, the aim of the "H₂-SWITCH100" project is to develop solution options that can secure the supply even for old buildings that are difficult to renovate and for commercial energy requirements. The existing natural gas infrastructure contains very different materials and components. The pilot project will now examine what technical changes are necessary to use pipes and connections to supply green hydrogen.
The pilot area in the Harburg district is located in the streets "Zum Fürstenmoor" and "Moorwinkel" near the Tempowerk. Gasnetz Hamburg deliberately selected the network section for the pilot area because the connections, pipe materials and the years of construction of the individual pipe sections reflect the average of the Hamburg gas network.
Changeover to hydrogen from 2027
To this end, the company is now checking the materials and components at 16 house and commercial connections. Here, the company's experts first want to analyze the existing situation and develop a plan for converting the existing natural gas infrastructure for green hydrogen.
The Hamburg network operator plans to convert the natural gas pipelines in order to be able to convert the existing natural gas supply to hydrogen from 2027. All consumers are to be connected to the Hamburg Hydrogen Industrial Network (HH-WIN) from 2027.
