OGE and TES join forces to develop a 1,000 km CO₂ transmission system

OGE, one of the leading European gas transmission system operators, is planning to build a CO2 pipeline system. The project will focus on CO2 emissions that cannot be avoided during production processes and on the reuse of CO2 in a green circular system to import green hydrogen. This pipeline system will initially be 1,000 km long and will allow around 18 million tonnes of CO2 to be shipped per year.

To prioritise green energy supply and CO2 emission reduction, OGE and Tree Energy Solutions (TES), which recently announced a Green Energy Hub for the import of green gas in Wilhelmshaven, have entered into a strategic partnership for a CO2 circular economy. Starting from the green gas import terminal to be built by TES in Wilhelmshaven, the pipeline system will connect key industrial, power plant and mobility sites across Germany. The first part of the system is scheduled for commissioning from 2028.

"To achieve our climate goals, we have to invest in renewables and especially in hydrogen, but we also have to offer a solution to industries in Germany that need to capture and recycle their CO2," OGE’s CEO Dr Jörg Bergmann said. "For this, we need a CO2 infrastructure. This infrastructure will be made equally available at standard rates to all interested parties."

OGE and TES are in talks with German steel, cement and lime producers, power plant operators and chemical companies about shipping CO2 back to the future Green Energy Hub in Wilhelmshaven via the pipeline system to be built. The system will be available to all market participants from the very start.

"The CO2 transmission system supports the circular economy strategy. It ensures that CO2 can be kept in the TES cycle and greenhouse gas emissions are avoided," said Paul van Poecke, founder and CEO of TES. "Through this project, the CO2 will be captured and reused in a circular system as a carrier for transporting green hydrogen or as a resource in other industries."

The carbon cycle strategy will significantly accelerate Germany's energy transition and help the industrial, power and mobility sectors achieve their decarbonisation goals. This requires a Germanywide CO2 strategy and corresponding instruments.

For more information, go to co2-netz.de.