Austrian electric utility Energie AG Oberoesterreich plans to establish a pilot hydrogen network in Austria, recognising the green fuel as a key component of a renewable energy future, the company said.
As a first step, a section of the existing natural gas network between Linz and Sattledt in the province of Upper Austria will be converted for alternative use with hydrogen. The infrastructure is operated by Energie AG’s subsidiary Netz Oberoesterreich GmbH.
The unit is responsible for a network of about 6,000 km (3,728 miles), part of which can be dedicated to hydrogen transportation, Energie AG said.
According to the statement, Netz Oberoesterreich GmbH plans to operate the dual-strand pipeline between Linz and Sattledt as a dual-use pipeline in the future. This will make it possible to continue transporting natural gas in one pipe and hydrogen in the other. The hydrogen pipeline, with a diameter of 40 centimetres, will be capable of transporting up to 50,000 cubic metres of hydrogen per hour, depending on pressure conditions. This capacity corresponds to about 170 MW, roughly the output of the district heating plant in Linz.
“By repurposing the existing pipeline between Linz and Sattledt, we are taking a significant step forward. This will allow Upper Austria to become one of the first regions in the country to be supplied with hydrogen," Energie AG’s chief technology officer Alexander Kirchner commented. (January 9, 2025, Source: https://renewablesnow.com/news/energie-ag-to-set-up-pilot-hydrogen-network-in-austria-1269055/)
AUSTRIA - GREENH2 - TRANSPORT - DISTRIBUTION