Germany and Belgium have reiterated plans to open a cross-border hydrogen pipeline network linking the two countries by 2028 as part of wider cooperation on both hydrogen and CCS, according to a joint declaration signed this week.

Belgium recently updated its hydrogen strategy to target 20TWh of hydrogen imports by 2030—and 350TWh in 2050—in a bid to become an import hub for Europe.

“Today, port of Antwerp-Bruges is working out concrete plans to transport sustainable hydrogen and hydrogen carriers to Germany, further establishing ourselves as the green energy and feedstock hub of the future,” says Jacques Vandermeiren, CEO of Belgium’s port of Antwerp-Bruges.

20TWh – Belgian hydrogen import target by 2030

“To make this change happen, even more Belgian-German cooperation is needed in areas such as import, infrastructure, transport and purchase of these green energy flows.”

The two countries have recently agreed to a wider suite of energy security measures, including assessing the construction of a second electricity interconnector and doubling Belgian gas transit capacity to Germany. The strengthening of Belgian and German gas network cooperation could enable the switch to hydrogen, the two countries’ governments say.

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Author: Polly Martin