H2HoWi

The H2 Howi project in Holzwickede, North Rhine-Westphalia, is testing the conversion of existing natural gas pipelines to transport 100 percent hydrogen. The goal is to demonstrate the technical feasibility and legal framework for such a conversion for the first time in Germany, thereby enabling a green application for the existing natural gas network. The project focuses on demonstrating in practice that the existing gas infrastructure in Holzwickede is suitable for transporting pure hydrogen and can thus contribute to the decarbonization of the energy supply.

The project is being carried out by Westenergie and is continuously monitored by scientists. The scientific monitoring documents all technical and regulatory findings that are relevant for future hydrogen projects in the gas network. The H2 Howi project is playing a pioneering role in the development of the hydrogen economy in Germany.

The H2 Howi project was commissioned in October 2022. The project is scheduled to run until December 2026 in order to gain comprehensive long-term experience with the operation of hydrogen in converted natural gas pipelines. The data and findings obtained will serve as the basis for the large-scale transformation of the gas infrastructure in North Rhine-Westphalia and nationwide.