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3.4 Hydrogen Supply Chains

2. Example 1: Storage and transport of compresses hydrogen

Hydrogen supply chain Example 1: Storage and transport of compressed hydrogen in Spain
Hydrogen supply chain Example 1: Storage and transport of compressed hydrogen by Fabian Carels and Lisa Karies (CC BY-SA)

The production of crude steel is nowadays a process that emits very large amounts of greenhouse gases. Hydrogen-based steel making is potentially climate-neutral and is currently being developed (for more information, see Chapter 4). If entire steel mills are converted to green steel production in the future, they will need very large quantities of gaseous hydrogen. For the supply of hydrogen to very large individual consumers, such as steelworks in this example, transport via pipelines is usually the best option. Compared to other transport options, such as delivery by truck, pipelines allow very large quantities of hydrogen to be supplied continuously with relatively little effort. In the future, it will probably also be possible to connect large-scale underground hydrogen storage facilities to hydrogen pipelines in order to compensate seasonal fluctuations in the availability of renewable energies.

As explained in Chapter 3.1, Germany will probably not be able to cover its hydrogen demand completely by itself. Importing by pipeline from sun-rich regions in Southern Europe and North Africa is a possible alternative. In order to make such an import possible, a transnational network of hydrogen pipelines must be established. Numerous operators of natural gas pipelines from various European countries have joined forces for this purpose and want to set up the so-called European Hydrogen Backbone (for further information click here) by 2040, which is to enable the transport of hydrogen from North Africa or Southern Europe via Spain or Italy to Sweden.