A planned hydrogen pipeline connecting Denmark and Germany has faced a significant setback, with its operational date pushed back to 2031, three years later than initially anticipated. 

The Danish Transmission System Operator (TSO) Energinet attributed the delay to increased project complexity and prolonged planning and environmental processes.

The announcement comes amid a backdrop of recent setbacks for hydrogen projects in the region, with Energy giants Equinor and Shell having pulled the plug on their hydrogen initiatives, while Norway has shelved a planned hydrogen pipeline to Germany.

Danish Energy Minister Lars Aagaard expressed disappointment in the revised timeline, stating, "The timeline presented by Energinet is far from ideal.” 

“We are actively working to make the timeline more robust and minimise the delay as much as possible."

Energinet has revised its plans to conduct a hydrogen capacity sale in autumn 2025, contingent upon the award of offshore wind licenses and the Danish Utility Regulator's approval of the capacity sale terms. 

Previously, the TSO had intended to hold the sale in conjunction with the offshore wind tender process.

The Danish-German hydrogen pipeline, stretching from northern Jutland to the German border, aims to export so-called green hydrogen produced from renewable energy.

According to a TSO study, there will be an initial demand for transporting 0.8 gigawatts (GW) of hydrogen in 2031 in the southernmost section of the pipeline. 

Additionally, there will be transport needs totaling around 1.3 GW in 2031 from projects directly linked to the tendered offshore wind power areas in the North Sea.

Energinet forecasts a potential demand for transporting 4.9 GW of hydrogen in 2032, which will increase to 6.9 GW by 2050.