Germany and UK to Explore Establishing Hydrogen Pipeline in North Sea
May 22, 2025
The German transmission system operator GASCADE and U.K.’s National Gas have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore the feasibility to establish a hydrogen corridor between the UK and Germany in the North Sea through an offshore pipeline interconnection.
The two transmission companies are building upon the latest results of a feasibility study carried out by Arup, Adelphi and Dena as part of the German-British hydrogen partnership - the establishment of a hydrogen corridor through an offshore pipeline interconnection to facilitate the development of a cross-border hydrogen market between the two countries.
The U.K.-Germany Hydrogen Corridor project will consist of two offshore pipeline sections. The first section will start from the U.K. mainland and will be linked to the second section, GASCADE’s AquaDuctus pipeline project, which connects to the German mainland.
The planned project aims to establish critical infrastructure that will not only accelerate the decarbonization of industry through green and low-carbon hydrogen but also significantly enhance Europe's energy independence.
By connecting the substantial hydrogen production potential in the U.K. with the hydrogen demand in Germany and continental Europe through the AquaDuctus pipeline in the German North Sea, the project is expected to contribute substantially to the resilience and flexibility of Europe's emerging hydrogen economy.
Both GASCADE and National Gas aim to pursue Project of Common Interest (PCI) or Project of Mutual Interest (PMI) status for the project, underscoring the strategic importance of this initiative within European energy policy frameworks. They also intend to incorporate the project into the European Ten-Year Network Development Plan (TYNDP) 2026.
"This collaboration marks an important milestone for Europe's energy future. Through joint infrastructure projects like this, we can leverage the UK's significant renewable resources and Germany's strategic hydrogen storage and consumption capabilities, diversifying energy imports and strengthening European energy security,” said Ulrich Benterbusch, Managing Director at GASCADE.
“Our partnership with GASCADE is evidence of our determination and capability to work together, not only to support Europe's climate ambitions but importantly to build a stronger and more resilient energy system that benefits us all,” added Jon Butterworth, CEO at National Gas.
