OSLO, Jan 5 (Reuters) – Equinor (EQNR.OL) and RWE (RWEG.DE) said on Thursday they plan to develop a supply chain for low-carbon hydrogen, allowing Germany to cut its reliance on coal power and thus its CO2 emissions.

The two companies plan to build power plants in Germany that will initially be fuelled by natural gas, and later with hydrogen made in Norway at jointly constructed production facilities.

The joint investments are contingent on a hydrogen pipeline – currently under consideration by Equinor, Norwegian gas system operator Gassco and other partners – that is aimed at connecting Norway and Germany and is expected to start deliveries in 2030.

The companies did not provide details about their financial commitments, though RWE, Germany’s top power producer, said the partnership would cover investments worth several billions of euros.

“But it is too early to go into detail. First of all, the infrastructure needs to be built and a suitable political framework needs to be established,” the company said.

Equinor CEO Anders Opedal told Reuters the cost of the total supply chain could run into the “tens of billion euros”. The pipeline, if it went ahead, would cost 3 billion euros alone and would be the first of its kind worldwide, he said.