In the future the offshore AquaDuctus pipeline will transport green hydrogen from the North Sea directly to the mainland. It is part of the AquaVentus initiative, which plans to install 10 gigawatts of electrolysis capacity for hydrogen production from offshore wind power between Helgoland and Doggerbank.

The AquaDuctus pipeline is the vision for the first German offshore hydrogen pipeline. Once the construction of the production plants is fully completed, AquaDuctus shall transport up to one million tonnes of green hydrogen annually from 2030 onwards, thus contributing towards the decarbonization of energy supply in Germany and Europe. AquaDuctus is therefore a key milestone in the implementation of the German and European hydrogen strategies.

Compared to the transport of electricity generated offshore, the pipeline offers clear economic advantages. AquaDuctus will replace five high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission systems, which would otherwise have to be built. It is by far the most cost-effective option for transporting the large volumes of energy over distances of more than 400 kilometers.

A total of around 500 kilometers of pipeline are to be built as part of AquaDuctus - around 400 of them offshore and around 100 kilometers onshore. GASCADE is responsible for the planning, construction and operation of the pipeline. As the transmission system operator responsible for the project, we have been awarded both European IPCEI and PCI status by the EU Commission. This confirms the European significance of our project and enables, among other things, state funding for the project. AquaDuctus is also part of the draft of the German hydrogen core network. As soon as this is confirmed, we can move on to implementation. 

Read more about AquaDuctus and the other sub-projects on the AquaVentus website www.aquaventus.org.