October 17 (Renewables Now) - A group of companies will work together on hydrogen projects in the northwest German city of Osnabrueck to build hydrogen filling stations and a pipeline network to supply a local steel maker and a copper producer.

Energy company EWE, copper producer KME Germany GmbH, filling station operator Q1 Energie AG, steel maker Georgsmarienhuette Holding GmbH and logistics network KNI last week signed a letter of intent on the partnership that aims to advance the green transformation of the region.

The partners are planning to build a hydrogen production plant and a pipeline network that will connect Georgsmarienhuette and KME. Hydrogen filling stations will be built at Q1 Energie's sites.

Commenting on the alliance, EWE's Tobias Moldenhauer stressed that without hydrogen there would be no energy transition, no climate neutrality, and no shift away from fossil fuels. The planned partnership combines the strengths and expertise of companies along the entire value chain, from the production of green hydrogen to transport and storage, to its application in industry and mobility, Moldenhauer explained.

For Georgsmarienhuette, part of GMH Group, green hydrogen will play a key role in its green transformation as the company aims to produce climate-neutral steel by 2039. The cooperation will support this strategy as the group owns a steel plant in the town of Georgsmarienhuette near Osnabrueck.

GMH has already made progress in the decarbonisation of the plant. Less than a month ago, it signed an off-take deal with EWE for an 8.13-MW solar park in Lower Saxony, securing clean energy to power the steel plant.

Green hydrogen is a core component in Q1 Energie's sustainability strategy, too. The company will build hydrogen filling stations for heavy goods traffic as it aims to have a carbon-neutral product portfolio by 2035.

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