Koblenz: Feasibility Study Shows Distribution System Can Be Converted to Hydrogen

The Energieversorgung Mittelrhein Group (evm Group) has successfully completed its hydrogen pilot project in Koblenz-Kesselheim and the adjacent Rheinhafen industrial area. “The aim was to assess hydrogen readiness and derive reliable insights for the future development of gas supply,” says Tobias Eberhardt, project manager at Energienetze Mittelrhein (enm), which is responsible for the project within the evm Group. In addition to the technical feasibility, the project also examined the economic dimension, particularly the level of effort required for a network conversion. The project ran for one and a half years and was carried out in cooperation with Thüga from Munich. “As a regional network operator, our responsibility is to plan tomorrow’s energy supply at an early stage and prepare our networks step by step so that they remain safe, reliable and sustainable in the future,” says Hendrik Majewski, Technical Managing Director of enm.

A versatile pilot area: Why Kesselheim?

For the study, the evm Group deliberately selected a sub-area that could serve as a blueprint for other network sections. The pilot area lies between the A48 motorway, the B9 federal road and Wallersheim in the north of Koblenz and includes the Kesselheim local network, parts of the Wallersheim local network and the Rheinhafen industrial area.

This area was chosen because its network infrastructure allows for particularly diverse insights: among other things, a high connection density with numerous households and companies connected to the gas grid, a heterogeneous network infrastructure with high-, medium- and low-pressure pipelines, and a mix of industry with high energy demand and residential customers.

The approach: Four phases for clear results

The feasibility study began with a comprehensive inventory. All relevant data from the geographic information system (GIS data), digitized archive documents, and information on technical network components and characteristics—such as pipelines, meters and gas pressure regulation systems—were compiled. In the next phase, this data formed the basis for the hydrogen-readiness assessment, which was carried out by an external service provider.

In addition, experts from the evm Group, together with Thüga specialists, developed several future scenarios for the gas network up to 2035/2040: a full conversion to hydrogen, a partial conversion limited to the high-pressure level, and a mixed scenario that takes into account primarily large industrial customers but also households.

In the final phase, all previously generated findings were consolidated and a transformation pathway was developed, showing how the network could be adapted step by step. For the pilot area, the result was clear: separating and repurposing a sub-network from the overall natural gas network is feasible with reasonable effort.

However, the managing director emphasizes the importance of putting the pilot project’s results into the proper perspective, as the use of hydrogen is currently the subject of intensive debate. Hendrik Majewski explains:

“We are still in an early phase of the transformation. With this project, we have developed the technical foundations based on realistic future demand scenarios and demonstrated that repurposing existing assets—such as pipelines, valves, and regulation and metering systems—is fundamentally technically feasible. How and when an actual conversion will take place will largely depend on the success of the broader build-up of a hydrogen energy supply system, the regulatory framework conditions, and the expansion of supraregional infrastructure—factors that extend well beyond the responsibilities of enm. The first major step has been taken, but the path ahead is a shared transformation process involving many stakeholders.”

The pilot project provides concrete practical data and helps enable differentiated and responsible planning.