© Gascade

Gascade has converted 400km of natural gas pipelines to carry hydrogen, establishing a new north–south corridor from Lubmin on the Baltic Sea to Bobbau in Saxony-Anhalt.

Early backbone for Germany’s hydrogen core network

The step marks one of the earliest operational segments of Germany’s planned 9,000km hydrogen core network, which aims to link major production centres, industrial consumers and import entry points by the end of the decade. It comes as Berlin seeks to accelerate infrastructure build-out to support both domestic electrolysis and expected volumes of imported hydrogen.

Details of the Flow project

Gascade said it has completed the initial filling of the converted section, part of the “Flow – making hydrogen happen” project, which will eventually span 1,630km and connect locations including Rostock, Schwedt, Berlin, Leipzig, Leuna and Stuttgart. The operator noted that the infrastructure is now available to the market, though it remains unclear whether hydrogen is already flowing through the system.

Technical conversion and company statements

The company’s managing directors framed the completion as both a technical and economic milestone. Ulrich Benterbusch said the adaptation of pipelines with a 1.4-metre diameter represented a “technical pioneering achievement”, adding that the converted network provides “large-scale and central hydrogen infrastructure” for industry. Christoph von dem Bussche said the project “creates the conditions to receive hydrogen from the European Baltic Sea region, international imports via the port of Rostock, as well as green hydrogen produced on the Baltic coast”.

Market interest and next phases to 2029

Rostock has been identified by policymakers as a potential import hub, while Lubmin is slated to host large-scale electrolyser installations. Gascade confirmed it has received “numerous grid connection requests” and is in talks with industrial customers seeking transport capacity. “Interest is high, as the pipelines open up concrete decarbonization options for the industry,” a spokesperson told.

Work began earlier this year and involved addressing material compatibility, upgrading compressors and valves, and meeting safety and monitoring standards to adapt legacy gas infrastructure. Further sections linking eastern Germany to the southwest are expected to be completed by 2029, with additional cross-border connections planned to Poland, the Czech Republic and Austria.

Implications for hydrogen investors and industry

Transmission system operators will begin offering capacity reservations for the hydrogen core network from 2026, allowing producers, industrial users and traders to secure access ahead of wider commissioning. The opening of the first Flow corridor provides early visibility for investors on future transport routes and may help anchor regional electrolyser and import projects as Germany’s hydrogen demand profile develops.