Three Questions to Britta van Boven, Gasunie Germany

Much of the hydrogen consumed in Germany will need to be supplied by imports. Imports therefore play an essential role in hydrogen ramp-up. Accordingly, cross-border partnerships are crucial, as they drive the joint development of infrastructure for transport, storage, and application. In our Drei-Fragen-An-Interview with Britta van Boven, Managing Director of Gasunie Deutschland, we discuss the greatest challenges in implementing such cross-border infrastructure projects and the next concrete steps toward successful realization.

What significance does the planned hydrogen corridor have for hydrogen industry ramp-up in Europe?

Germany and the Netherlands are among Europe's most important hydrogen markets. Our agreement concluded with OGE and Thyssengas demonstrates: As infrastructure operators, we want to be a driving force for European hydrogen ramp-up by pursuing the expansion of a cross-border hydrogen corridor. This requires partnerships with companies that share a common strategic mindset. For Germany, the connection to the Netherlands—with its role as importer, producer, and transit country for hydrogen—offers significant strategic opportunities for industry and climate protection alike.

What are currently the greatest challenges in implementing such cross-border infrastructure projects?

As infrastructure operators, Gasunie, OGE, and Thyssengas assume corporate responsibility for providing the market with cross-border infrastructure. Through this, we create the necessary conditions for hydrogen market ramp-up. However, crucial to success is not least the question of what happens politically, regulatorily, and economically beyond entry and exit points. Here, policymakers must step up by supporting our customers in their path to hydrogen. We as network operators also need pragmatic regulatory handling that allows us to tailor the core network to actual demand and circumstances—for example, when a pipeline seems less suitable for conversion than originally assumed, or when a customer will begin taking hydrogen later than expected.

What are the next concrete steps to advance the project successfully?

The connection between Germany and the Netherlands has traditionally been strong. At Bunde in the north, we will develop the first hydrogen border crossing point between the two countries as part of the Hyperlink project. The cooperation now envisions expansion at Zevenaar-Elten in the west. Through this expansion, the cooperation partners aim to connect hydrogen consumers from the industrial and chemical sectors in the Ruhr region with hydrogen production, storage, and import facilities in the Dutch hydrogen network. The Delta Rhine Corridor, and thus the Port of Rotterdam, plays a central role in this.