TotalEnergies has concluded a contract with RWE for the annual supply of 30,000 tonnes of green hydrogen to its Leuna refinery in Germany. This partnership will extend over 15 years starting in 2030 and represents the largest contractual agreement for green hydrogen from an electrolyser in the country.
Production and transport infrastructure
The green hydrogen will be produced by a 300 MW electrolyser that RWE will develop in Lingen. The site will include storage capacities to stabilise supply. Transport to Leuna will be carried out via a 600-kilometre pipeline, optimising the industrial integration of this hydrogen.
Impact on refining and emissions reduction
In the refining sector, hydrogen is used for hydrocarbon processing, but its supply primarily relies on grey hydrogen, produced from methane. The contract with RWE will enable the substitution of this resource with green hydrogen from water electrolysis, thereby reducing the site’s annual CO₂ emissions by 300,000 tonnes from 2030.
Industrial strategy and deployment
TotalEnergies aims to completely replace grey hydrogen in its European refineries by 2030. To date, more than 200,000 tonnes of decarbonised hydrogen have been secured for facilities in France, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The agreement with RWE aligns with this long-term volume securitisation strategy.
Market positioning
This partnership adds to the existing collaborations between the two groups, particularly in offshore wind. The deployment of new production capacities and the establishment of dedicated green hydrogen infrastructure constitute a strategic lever for the oil and gas industry amid evolving regulatory frameworks and the structuring of the European hydrogen market.
