Germany's OGE to begin major Rhineland gas conversion program

German gas network operator Open Grid Europe is to begin July 6 a major program to convert appliances from using low-calorific gas (L-gas) to high-calorific gas (H-gas) in the Rhineland area of western Germany.

OGE said in a statement it would look to convert some 56,000 gas appliances in the Rhineland area in 2021.

"All affected customers have already been informed in detail by their responsible network operator," OGE said in a statement.

Parts of western and northwestern Germany have long been reliant on L-gas -- mostly from the giant onshore Groningen field in the Netherlands -- but with the field set to be shut from next year, appliances have had to be converted to H-gas.

The risk of earthquakes at Groningen triggered by gas production prompted the Dutch government to cap production and close the field much earlier than the 2030 end-date that had been previously envisaged.

Zeelink role

OGE and fellow German grid operator Thyssengas built the 216km Zeelink pipeline -- which started operations in May -- to enable consumers in western Germany to access H-gas via the Belgian LNG import terminal at Zeebrugge.

"Zeelink is of particular importance for the Germany-wide L/H gas conversion, since Zeelink can ensure the transportation of H-gas for numerous other areas still supplied with L-gas today," OGE said.

Throughout Germany as a whole, a total of 5.3 million gas appliances -- such as boilers, kitchen stoves or water heaters in private households and businesses -- will have to be switched to H-gas by 2030.

In January, the BDEW and DVGW German gas industry bodies said Germany planned a "record" number of conversions of appliances in households and businesses from L-gas to H-gas in 2021.

About 570,000 device adjustments are planned this year -- more than for any other year -- they said.

L-gas consumers in Germany have been undergoing conversion work to be able to use H-gas, which is the majority of gas supplied in Europe, for several years already.

A total of 27 distribution system operators and five transmission system operators are involved in the conversion projects.