Underground Urban Hydrogen Pipeline Network HydroGrid Deep Dive: How Rotterdam Built the World's First City-Wide Hydrogen Distribution Network
Rotterdam completes the world's first city-level underground hydrogen pipeline network, using retrofitted natural gas pipelines to distribute green hydrogen from the port to urban industrial users and refueling stations, reducing distribution costs by 70% compared to tanker trucks.
Filling the City's Veins with Hydrogen
In January 2029, the Rotterdam city government announced that the HydroGrid urban hydrogen pipeline network officially entered commercial operation. This 180-kilometer underground network connects Rotterdam Port's green hydrogen production facilities with 23 industrial users and 45 hydrogen refueling stations across the city, becoming the world's first hydrogen distribution infrastructure covering an entire city.
HydroGrid's pipelines were not entirely new but utilized approximately 30% of Rotterdam's existing natural gas pipeline network. The research team spent two years retrofitting these pipelines for hydrogen compatibility, primarily replacing sealing materials (hydrogen molecules are smaller than methane and easily leak through traditional seals) and upgrading anti-corrosion coatings. Retrofit costs were approximately one-quarter of new pipeline construction.
The network's hub is Rotterdam Port's 200MW electrolysis hydrogen production plant. The facility uses North Sea offshore wind farm electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, producing approximately 80 tons of green hydrogen daily. After compression, hydrogen is injected into the pipeline network at 30-70 bar pressure, distributed to all city nodes within 48 hours.
HydroGrid's commissioning reduced Rotterdam's hydrogen distribution costs from 3.2 euros per kilogram via tanker trucks to 0.9 euros per kilogram via pipeline. Rotterdam's mayor stated this is critical infrastructure for the city's 2035 carbon neutrality goal.
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