The consulting firm Cowi has been chosen to draft the first sketches for a possible hydrogen link from Denmark to the rest of Europe. While a final political decision on the establishment of a hydrogen pipeline connection is still pending, initial investigations are now underway to assess the costs of burying 500 kilometers of pipes in the Danish soil and connecting it to the planned European transmission network. Cowi, specialized in consulting engineering services, has been assigned the task of preparing the initial drawings and calculations for the precise placement of the pipes and the project costs. Klaus Winther Ringgaard, Senior Vice President of Cowi’s energy division, stated in a press release: “We are extremely proud to be part of this crucial project for the green transition. Exporting green hydrogen is a prerequisite for the realization of the country’s large Power-to-X projects, which are essential for scaling up offshore wind farms in the North Sea.” The plan is to use surplus green electricity from, among other sources, the North Sea to produce hydrogen at several production sites in Jutland. This hydrogen will then either be stored or transported to consumers both in Denmark and the rest of Europe. Hydrogen can be used directly as fuel in trucks or ferries, or in processes where it is converted into fertilizer or aviation fuel.
In April, a large majority in the Danish Parliament agreed that the state could provide loans or guarantees for the construction of the hydrogen connection through Jutland. However, this requires that the future users of the connection – the hydrogen producers – guarantee to purchase almost half of the pipeline’s capacity for a period of 10-15 years. This way, the state will be able to share both costs and risks with the future users of the connection. Energinet, which currently operates the Danish gas transmission network, will also be responsible for the upcoming hydrogen pipeline.