RWE has agreed to supply 30,000 metric tons of renewable hydrogen annually for 15 years to support the decarbonization of TotalEnergies SE’s Leuna refinery in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.
The hydrogen will be produced at RWE’s 300-megawatt electrolyzer in Lingen, Lower Saxony. According to TotalEnergies, local storage will be available, and the hydrogen will be transported via a 600-km (373-mile) pipeline to the refinery.
This supply is expected to cut 300,000 tons of CO₂ emissions annually starting in 2030.TotalEnergies described this as the largest green hydrogen contract from an electrolyzer in Germany.Using 30,000 metric tons of hydrogen annually will cut 300,000 metric tons of CO₂, equal to emissions from 140,000 cars, RWE said. Hydrogen storage in Gronau-Epe, set for 2027, will ensure supply, supported by Germany’s hydrogen core network.Germany’s €18.9 billion ($20.54 billion) hydrogen network will span 9,040 km, with 60% repurposed gas pipelines.
The first major pipeline launches this year, with full completion by 2032.TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné welcomed the partnership with RWE, while RWE CEO Markus Krebber highlighted the landmark green hydrogen offtake deal.Lower Saxony Prime Minister Stephan Weil said the RWE-TotalEnergies contract boosts Lingen’s hydrogen economy and Germany’s energy transition. He emphasized the state’s leadership, with 50% of Germany’s EU-approved green hydrogen production and 20% of the hydrogen core network.
Weil called for stronger industry demand, faster approvals, and network expansion.Saxony-Anhalt Minister-President Reiner Haseloff highlighted the state’s role in both the chemical and renewable energy sectors, calling green hydrogen a crucial bridge between them.
