The heat transition in the building sector remains at the center of the energy policy debate. Following the turbulent discussions surrounding the Building Energy Act and the significant downturn in the heating market, the German government is now working on a Building Modernization Act. In this interview, Rainer Ortmann explains the impact previous regulations have had on the market, how the indus
In March, the Sindelfingen municipal utility company commissioned a new plant for upgrading biogas to biomethane. Located on the site of the former district landfill near Stuttgart, the plant will process raw biogas from a fermentation plant in Leonberg into feed-in biomethane suitable for grid injection. The project is part of an inter-municipal initiative to utilize organic waste from the surrou
With the publication of the Technology and Innovation Roadmap for Electrolysis, the hydrogen flagship project H2Giga provides a comprehensive assessment of the current state of electrolysis research in Germany and outlines the next steps for scaling up the hydrogen economy. The study compiles the results of five years of intensive collaboration between industry and academia and identifies the tech
In March, bayernets GmbH, together with Bavarian Minister of Economic Affairs and Energy Hubert Aiwanger and representatives of the municipality of Kötz in the Bavarian district of Günzburg, celebrated the commissioning of the AUGUSTA gas pipeline. The 40.5-kilometer-long underground pipeline will connect Baden-Württemberg to the gas storage facilities in southern Bavaria and the Salzburg region.
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 wi
Shell celebrated the topping-out ceremony for a new 100 MW electrolyzer at the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Rheinland. The plant is being built in the Wesseling section of the site and, according to the company, is scheduled to go into operation in 2027. With sufficient availability of renewable energy, up to 16,000 tons of renewable hydrogen could be produced annually. The project is considere
At the beginning of March, the operators of the hydrogen core grid published a market information package outlining developments in the hydrogen core grid in the form of clusters and clarifying available capacities. This serves as the basis for initiating a coordinated process at the end of March, in which market participants can reserve initial hydrogen core grid capacities. The information provi
SEFE Securing Energy for Europe and the Argentine company Southern Energy (SESA) have signed an eight-year agreement for the supply of LNG. As part of the partnership with SESA, SEFE will purchase two million tonnes of LNG per year on an FOB basis (free on board). The first deliveries are scheduled for the end of 2027. The agreement builds on the memorandum of understanding signed in Argentina las
Open Grid Europe GmbH (OGE) and EWE NETZ have signed an agreement for a T-connection on the Nordsee-Ruhr-Link III pipeline. This allows the distribution network operator to secure an early option to connect its regional distribution network in the Emsland region to Germany’s future hydrogen transmission infrastructure.
Nordsee-Ruhr-Link III is part of the hydrogen core grid the development of w
Biomethane Taskforce established under the umbrella of Die Gas- und Wasserstoffwirtschaft forms a new, strong voice for biomethane in Germany. The initiative brings together expertise from a broad alliance spanning production, trading, and supply. Kehler: “Germany is falling short of its potential: biomethane can cover significant parts of future gas demand and substantially reduce CO₂ emissions.
At the beginning of March, ONTRAS Gastransport GmbH signed a contract with Mannesmann Linepipe GmbH and Mannesmann Großrohr GmbH for the delivery of approximately 100 kilometers of pipeline. These pipe sections will be used to construct the ONTRAS H2 starter grid, which will comprise a total of 600 kilometers of hydrogen pipelines for Central and Eastern Germany. A key project is the long-distance
As part of the EU project SUPREME, an international research consortium has begun developing improved methods for producing hydrogen from renewable sources. Led by the University of Southern Denmark, an international team with the participation of Graz University of Technology will work over the next three years on a PFAS-free electrolysis technology. The focus will be on the durability and effici
In its third reading today, the German Bundestag adopted the Hydrogen Acceleration Act (Wasserstoffbeschleunigungsgesetz, WassBG). The law designates facilities for the production, import, and storage of hydrogen as projects of overriding public interest and aims to simplify and accelerate permitting procedures. Dr. Timm Kehler, CEO of the association Die Gas- und Wasserstoffwirtschaft, welcomes t
German eFuel One GmbH, a manufacturer of alternative fuels, signed a preliminary agreement for e-methanol with HIF Global in February. The agreement covers the delivery of approximately 100,000 metric tons of e-methanol per year, produced at HIF's Paysandú project in Uruguay. This agreement establishes the key commercial conditions for negotiating a final offtake contract.
The e-methanol delive
From the perspective of Die Gas- und Wasserstoffwirtschaft (The german gas and hydrogen industry), the key points of the new Building Modernization Act mark a fundamental shift in direction: more choice, more system responsibility, and fewer detailed technical requirements. At the heart of the proposal is the planned green gas quota, designed to organize the market ramp-up of climate-friendly gase
At the end of February, a two-megawatt electrolyzer from Fest GmbH was delivered to Düsseldorf's municipal utility company. The system will be used to produce local hydrogen from the biogenic electricity generated by a waste incineration plant, which will then supply a hydrogen refueling station.
According to the utility company, hydrogen production could begin as early as mid-year. The hydroge
Decarbonising the gas grid in line with district heating and electricity enjoys broad support among homeowners.
No narrow focus on heating systems: all CO₂-saving measures should be recognised.
Kehler: “A heating law must not become a technology law. What matters is less CO₂ — not which system is in the basement.”
A clear majority of homeowners in Germany want greater personal responsibility
Biomethane is regarded as one of the key building blocks of a climate-neutral energy system – particularly in areas where electrification reaches its limits. biogeen GmbH develops, plans, and operates biomethane and biogas plants and supports projects along the entire value chain – from feedstock processing to injection into the gas grid. As CEO, Jörg Selbach-Röntgen is responsible for the company
In 2025, 98.5 percent of LNG sales at German filling stations consisted of Bio-LNG. Despite available technology and existing infrastructure, insufficient political and regulatory frameworks are slowing further market ramp-up of renewable fuels. Kehler: “Bio-LNG shows that we do not have to wait for tomorrow’s solutions to reduce emissions in the transport sector. Reliable framework conditions wo
At a special session of the Committee for Economic Affairs and Energy, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Katherina Reiche will address Members of the Bundestag tomorrow regarding the current supply situation. The focus will be on the historically low fill levels of Germany’s gas storage facilities. Dr. Timm Kehler, Chairman of the association Die Gas- und Wasserstoffwirtschaft, comments:
“B
