The purpose of this MoU is to set out key principles on the basis of which the parties will cooperate in jointly pursuing two projects:

• The first one, led by ONTRAS, concerns a gas filter separating methane and hydrogen compounds from a mixed gas stream. The objective is to build a pilot set of membranes for the separation of hydrogen in hydrogen-natural gas mixtures with high purity. The tests will start in 2020.
• The second one, led by GRTgaz, is a dedicated testing facility of the future FenHYx platform that will assess the hydrogen readiness of network equipment and evaluate their efficient operation with internal and external leakage test benchmarks. The first cluster of the FenHYx platform will be built in 2020 by the GRTgaz Research and Innovation Center for Energy (RICE) to carry out hydrogen R&D.

"ONTRAS has vast experience with mixed gas streams as we have two power to gas plants feeding hydrogen into our network. With the European cooperation for the separation of hydrogen and participation in the testing facility project we will open new possibilities for the use of existing networks for future trans-border green gas transport", said Ralph Bahke, Managing Director of ONTRAS Gastransport GmbH.

"For many years, GRTgaz has been committed to exploring different ways to contribute to the development and deployment of hydrogen e.g. through blending with natural gas in its network; through supporting innovative production processes such as thermal gasification and through the management of the consortium for the power to gas “Jupiter 1000” pilot project in the South-East of France. Our agreement with ONTRAS will strengthen European research and development efforts towards the deployment of hydrogen and the achievement of climate neutrality. This MoU opens new opportunities to contribute towards the identification of reliable and competitive solutions for the development of the sector and the integration of hydrogen into gas networks", said Thierry Trouvé, CEO of GRTgaz.

"The mega-project of increasing the share of hydrogen injected into our networks calls for a Pan-European effort. To this end, a Franco-German research co-operation offers great potential for new developments in the gas transportation sector. We very much appreciate and actively support this collaboration", said Nicolas Delaporte, Managing Director of GRTgaz Deutschland GmbH.

On 23 May 2019, GRTgaz Deutschland published its network fees for 2020. From 1 January 2020, the fee for firm, freely allocable entry and exit capacities with a term of one year will be € 4.07 (kWh/h) / a in the NetConnect Germany market area.

In contrast to previous years, the network fees applicable from 1 January 2020 will be uniform postage stamp tariffs calculated for the market area in accordance with the Federal Networks Agency’s new REGENT decision. The REGENT decision as well as the MARGIT, BEATE 2.0 and AMELIE decisions by the Federal Network Agency published on 29 March 2019 are designed to implement the requirements of the EU regulation on harmonised transmission tariff structures for gas, the Network Code Tariff (NC TAR), in force since 2017.

The uniform network fee applicable from 2020 for firm, freely allocable transmission capacity calculated in accordance with the REGENT decision is based on the forecast capacity bookings and the pipeline operators’ revenue caps approved by the Federal Network Agency for 2020. The standard fees for capacity bookings at storage facilities and intra-year capacity contracts will be subject to surcharges/discounts. For example, a uniform discount of 75% will apply to capacity bookings at gas storage facilities unless they are used as alternative network interconnection points for cross-border gas transmission. Intra-year capacity bookings will be subject to multipliers applied to the standard fee.

Compared to 2019, this results in approximately 82 % higher fees for entry and exit capacities booked with GRTgaz Deutschland. The adjusted fees are above all based on the market area-wide tariff regime introduced as part of the REGENT decision compared with the tariffs previously applied by individual network operators, as well as on changes in the predicted capacity booking behaviour and permissible revenues (mainly as a result of network investments).

Comment on complaint proceedings against the Federal Network Agency’s REGENT decision:

GRTgaz Deutschland points out that complaints against the REGENT decision are pending before the Higher Regional Court (OLG) of Düsseldorf. Among other things, GRTgaz Deutschland has filed an application for interim relief and for suspension of the calculation of fees in accordance with the REGENT ruling until a decision has been delivered in the main proceedings.

Press Release