Decarbonization Get H2 Nukleus Project: First Hydrogen Reaches Marl in Germany

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Marl has received the first hydrogen from the Get H2 Nukleus hydrogen project in Lingen, Lower Saxony, Germany. The initial quantities of renewable hydrogen are being produced in accordance with EU rules.

Essen/Germany – The first hydrogen produced in the electrolysis in Lingen, Lower Saxony, has reached Marl in the northern Ruhr area. This marks the successful interaction of all components of the integrated Get H2 Nukleus hydrogen project.

As part of the ongoing commissioning process for two 100-megawatt electrolysis plants operated by RWE in Lingen, initial quantities of renewable hydrogen are being produced in accordance with EU rules. They are transported through a pipeline network spanning around 120 kilometres, operated by transmission system operators Nowega and OGE as well as Syneqt, a subsidiary of Evonik, to Evonik’s Marl Chemical Park where the hydrogen is available for industrial production processes.

Parts of Get H2 Nkleus are being funded by the German federal government and the states of Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia as part of the IPCEI programme (Important Projects of Common European Interest) Hy2Infra. The pipelines are among the first sections of the hydrogen core network that is being developed across Germany.

“With Get H2 Nukleus, our first hydrogen pipelines are now entering network operation. This is an important step in establishing a hydrogen economy in the region and in Germany,” says Thomas Hüwener, CEO of OGE. “At the same time, the project is creating important foundations for the future market design and allowing us to test key processes such as network access, capacity booking and balancing under real operation conditions.”

Nikolaus Valerius, CEO of RWE Generation, says: “The fact that certified renewable hydrogen from Lingen has reached Marl via pipelines shows that electrolysis, transport infrastructure and industrial offtake can work together. We are now moving ahead quickly towards the full commissioning of our electrolyzers. Over the coming months, we will prepare the plants for commercial operation.”

RWE is commissioning 200 megawatts of electrolysis capacity in Lingen by the end of 2026. From 2027, the entire plant is scheduled to operate at a capacity of 300 megawatts. The hydrogen produced in RWE’s electrolysis plants complies with the EU requirements for renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBO). Customers will receive proof of sustainability, enabling them to include the hydrogen in their decarbonization accounting.

“The early exchange and joint project development with the first customers using the transport infrastructure as part of Get H2 have paid off,” says Frank Heunemann, Managing Director of Nowega. “By starting at an early stage and working together constructively, we are creating important momentum for the design of the new overall system. We are now moving into the practical phase, where the individual elements will work together in operation.” As part of the Get H2 Transhyde research project, the companies had already gained initial experience in recent years. This experience can now be expanded through operation of the complete system under real-world conditions.

“Our perseverance is paying off. With this jointly implemented project, we are taking another important step towards sustainable transformation and the future-oriented development of the Chemical Park. Once the hydrogen reaches Marl, it is available for direct use in industrial processes. At the same time, its availability makes the site more attractive for new businesses,” says Thomas Basten, Chairman of the Management Board of Syneqt. “The long-standing cooperation between all partners has made this possible. By pooling our experience, knowledge and expertise, we have laid the foundations for the hydrogen ramp-up.”

Further pipeline projects linked to Get H2 Nukleus have already been completed or are currently being implemented. These include the 10-kilometre new-build pipeline from Heek to Epe, completed by OGE and Nowega at the end of 2025, connecting the hydrogen storage facility. At the end of 2026, RWE Gas Storage West will begin filling the first commercial cavern storage facility for hydrogen in Europe. The facility is scheduled to start operations in mid-2027. To connect additional industrial customers, OGE and Nowega are also converting an existing pipeline between Legden and Dorsten to carry hydrogen by 2027. In addition, they are constructing a new pipeline from Dorsten to Marl. A further pipeline linking Syneqt’s Marl Chemical Park with the refinery in Gelsenkirchen-Scholven has already been completed.

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