Thyssenkrupp Steel has announced plans to connect its steel plant in Duisburg to the planned German hydrogen network by 2028 in a partnership with transmission system operators Nowega GmbH, Open Grid Europe GmbH (OGE), and Thyssengas GmbH.
The agreement, signed as a realisation agreement, will facilitate the conversion of steel production in Duisburg to green hydrogen. The pipelines will link the Duisburg-Walsum site to the GET H2 network, allowing for hydrogen imports from the Netherlands via the Vlieghuis border crossing point.
As part of the plan, a new 40-kilometer pipeline from Dorsten to Duisburg-Walsum will extend the existing GET H2 pipeline from Lingen, connecting it to the steel plant. Additionally, current pipelines between Vlieghuis in the Netherlands and Kalle in Grafschaft Bentheim, Lower Saxony, will be converted to transport hydrogen and integrated into the GET H2 pipeline system to establish the import route. All pipeline segments are expected to be operational by 2027, with Thyssenkrupp Steel set for connection in 2028.
The contract outlines the rights and obligations of the parties involved in the conversion and construction of hydrogen pipelines until operations begin.
Thyssenkrupp's decarbonisation project for the Duisburg steel plant includes the installation of a hydrogen-capable direct reduction (DR) plant and two melting units. The project, supported by EUR 2 billion (USD 2.18 billion) of state aid approved by the European Commission (EC), is a significant step towards achieving sustainable steel production.
