Pipelines form the backbone of many countries of the world – quietly transporting ty that fuels modern life. Yet, as the world advances in decarbonisation efforts, these established assets may need to accommodate alternative energy carriers. While they were designed to transport either oil or gas their future might lie in the transportation of green molecules such as hydrogen or anthropogenic CO2 as integral part of the decarbonisation effort.  In this context, existing pipeline networks become more than legacy assets: they act as the gateway to a low-carbon future, enabling the transportation and storage of energy without adding to the planet’s carbon burden. 

Energy in the form of molecules has the specific advantages that are perfect to complement renewable energy systems. Molecules can easily be transported and stored thus their role is that of smoothing the natural fluctuation of renewable energy. Harnessing these advantages requires some adaptation in bridging what the pipelines are and what they will become in future.

While there is ample experience in the operation of pipelines transporting hydrogen and CO2, much of this knowledge was gained under conditions that are not reflective of the challenges ahead.  To unlock the full potential of the future pipelines, there is a need to expand the existing knowledge.  As this journal goes to print, hundreds of research initiatives and pilot projects are underway, each contributing valuable insights and data. 
Foreseeably, the future is built on the intersection between molecules and megabytes. Consequently, the wide pool of newly generated data- combined with the historic records- provides a solid basis to further enhance pipeline safety.  

Advances in computational science allow us to model every stage of a pipeline’s life. Data gathered across decades—now joined by latest results from the many recent projects—flows into analytical and machine-learning models that can reveal previously unknown patterns. Simulations offer the ability to test ideas too costly or complex to explore physically, while digital twins open pathways to predictive operation and real-time integrity management. 

The work captured in this journal is part of this development—a collective effort to contribute to a greener future.

Sincerely Yours,
Dr. Marion Erdelen-Peppler
President - EPRG – European Pipeline Research Group