Report: Installation & commissioning of hydrogen pipeline installation
HEAVENN Deliverable D3.6 by Gasunie presents the design, construction and realisation of project X-807: the hydrogen pipeline in Emmen. The 3.6-kilometre connection links the GZI Next energy hub with the industrial companies at Getec Park, enabling the practical use of hydrogen as an alternative to natural gas.
From design to construction
The project was developed through three phases: planning and design, construction, and realisation. The first phase included feasibility studies, route selection, environmental assessments, permitting and detailed engineering. It also required coordination between infrastructure operators, industrial partners and public authorities.
Construction began in February 2022. The hydrogen pipeline was installed alongside a pipeline for high-calorific natural gas, supporting a gradual transition while maintaining energy supply security.
Horizontal Directional Drilling was used to install sections underground without excavating a continuous trench. This reduced surface disruption and environmental impact while helping to accelerate construction.
A regional connection with wider relevance
The completed pipeline creates a direct link between green energy production at GZI Next and industrial demand at Getec Park. It gives companies at the park an opportunity to move towards cleaner energy sources while the parallel natural gas pipeline supports the transition period.
The report positions X-807 as a building block in the development of a broader hydrogen network connecting industrial clusters, storage locations and import routes. As this network expands, the Emmen pipeline could become part of a national and eventually European hydrogen value chain.
HEAVENN Deliverable D3.6 provides a graphical overview of the planning, engineering, construction and realisation of the hydrogen pipeline.