BMW starts building hydrogen pipeline to link Plant Leipzig to core hydrogen grid
BMW Group has begun construction of a roughly two-kilometre hydrogen pipeline that will connect Plant Leipzig directly to the hydrogen grid, making it the first vehicle plant worldwide with such a link.
- Approx. 2 km
- More than 230 forklifts and tug trains
- 11
- First half of 2028
What Happened
BMW Group Plant Leipzig has marked the official start of construction of a hydrogen pipeline that will connect the plant directly to the hydrogen grid. The roughly two-kilometre-long link is scheduled to be completed and commissioned in the first half of 2028. That would make Plant Leipzig the first vehicle plant worldwide with a direct connection to a hydrogen grid. Among those attending the milestone event were Prime Minister of the Free State of Saxony Michael Kretschmer and Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Transport Christian Hirte. BMW says the involvement of both the Free State of Saxony and the German government highlights the importance of the project, which sees industry, energy partners and policymakers working together on hydrogen infrastructure.
2km
Link connecting BMW Group Plant Leipzig directly to the hydrogen grid, due to be commissioned in the first half of 2028.
Plant Leipzig begins using hydrogen in intralogistics; it today operates Europe's largest hydrogen fuel-cell-powered intralogistics fleet, comprising more than 230 forklifts and tug trains.
The plant starts using hydrogen in its paint shop, which now operates eleven dual-fuel paint furnaces that can switch flexibly between natural gas and hydrogen.
Official start of construction of the roughly two-kilometre hydrogen pipeline connecting Plant Leipzig to the hydrogen grid.
Pipeline scheduled to be completed and commissioned, making Plant Leipzig the first vehicle plant worldwide with a direct connection to a hydrogen grid.
“BMW has been demonstrating for years how hydrogen can be used in industrial production. The new pipeline will establish Leipzig as a key hub for the hydrogen economy and make it one of the first industrial sites in Saxony to be connected to the core hydrogen network. This will strengthen the competitiveness of our industry and lay the foundations for delivering hydrogen where it is needed for production.”
“This pipeline will enable us to power our paint shop with hydrogen to a far greater extent than ever before. It marks an important milestone and lays the foundation for greater energy resilience. It also offers significant potential to further decarbonise production.”
- ONTRAS Gastransport GmbH — the company responsible for developing the region's core hydrogen grid; BMW Group has signed a capacity reservation contract with it.
- MITNETZ GAS GmbH — will carry out construction of the pipeline link itself along with the associated gas pressure regulation and metering station.
- European Fund for Regional Development (EFRE) and the Free State of Saxony — co-financing the pipeline project, which BMW says will play a fundamental role in developing resilient and sustainable hydrogen infrastructure in the federal state.
The Leipzig pipeline is one element of the BMW Group's broader global energy management. Rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach, the company says it pursues a technology-neutral pathway and develops the best possible solution for each individual location. BMW Group locations are expected to evolve into so-called prosumers, not only consuming energy but also generating and storing it for flexible use. The company is also advancing digital energy management, in which virtual power plants connect producers, consumers and storage facilities to optimise energy flows, helping sites manage loads more flexibly and support grid stability while reducing dependence on market and price fluctuations. BMW adds that hydrogen-based transformation depends on reliable framework conditions, including accelerated energy infrastructure development, internationally competitive energy costs, robust quality certification standards recognised across Europe, competitive grid charges, access to low-cost climate-friendly fuels, and investment and planning certainty.
Why this matters
If completed as planned, Plant Leipzig would become the first vehicle plant anywhere with a direct connection to a hydrogen grid, allowing energy-intensive processes such as paint drying to run on hydrogen instead of natural gas. The project is co-financed by the European Fund for Regional Development and the Free State of Saxony and involves energy partners and policymakers, which BMW links to the region's industrial competitiveness and to safeguarding Germany's position as an industrial base.
Terms in This Story
- Core hydrogen grid
- A network of pipelines built to transport hydrogen to industrial users, separate from the existing natural gas grid.
- Intralogistics
- The movement, storage and handling of materials and goods inside a factory or warehouse.
- Dual-fuel
- Equipment that can run on either of two different fuels and switch between them.
- Prosumer
- An energy user that both consumes energy and generates or stores it.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.