When Steel Outlives Strategy: The Climate Cost of Germany’s Hydrogen Pipeline - CleanTechnica

The article from CleanTechnica critically examines Germany’s large-diameter pipeline initially built around 2020 for natural gas transmission, which has since been repurposed for hydrogen transport. Originally designed during a period when Germany anticipated prolonged natural gas demand supported by Russian supply, the pipeline now stands pressurized and filled with fossil hydrogen but lacks meaningful suppliers or contracted users. This situation raises concerns about the pipeline’s climate impact, emphasizing that infrastructure does not inherently become climate positive simply by rebranding; it must deliver genuine decarbonization benefits that outweigh the embedded emissions from its materials, construction, and operation. A key focus is the substantial carbon footprint embedded in the pipeline’s steel, which accounts for roughly 320,000 tons of steel—about 1% of Germany’s annual steel demand. Producing this steel emitted between 220,000 and 750,000 tons of CO2 equivalent, with a central estimate around 600,000 to 650,000 tons, representing a significant upfront climate