diff --git a/config/config.default.yaml b/config/config.default.yaml
index 51080862..5afc6f8e 100644
--- a/config/config.default.yaml
+++ b/config/config.default.yaml
@@ -606,9 +606,34 @@ industry:
   MWh_NH3_per_MWh_H2_cracker: 1.46 # https://github.com/euronion/trace/blob/44a5ff8401762edbef80eff9cfe5a47c8d3c8be4/data/efficiencies.csv
   NH3_process_emissions: 24.5
   petrochemical_process_emissions: 25.5
-  HVC_primary_fraction: 1.
-  HVC_mechanical_recycling_fraction: 0.
-  HVC_chemical_recycling_fraction: 0.
+  #HVC primary/recycling based on values used in Neumann et al https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2023.06.016, linearly interpolated between 2020 and 2050
+  #2020 recycling rates based on Agora https://static.agora-energiewende.de/fileadmin/Projekte/2021/2021_02_EU_CEAP/A-EW_254_Mobilising-circular-economy_study_WEB.pdf
+  #fractions refer to the total primary HVC production in 2020
+  #assumes 6.7 Mtplastics produced from recycling in 2020
+  HVC_primary_fraction:
+    2020: 1.0
+    2025: 0.9
+    2030: 0.8
+    2035: 0.7
+    2040: 0.6
+    2045: 0.5
+    2050: 0.4
+  HVC_mechanical_recycling_fraction:
+    2020: 0.12
+    2025: 0.15
+    2030: 0.18
+    2035: 0.21
+    2040: 0.24
+    2045: 0.27
+    2050: 0.30
+  HVC_chemical_recycling_fraction:
+    2020: 0.0
+    2025: 0.0
+    2030: 0.04
+    2035: 0.08
+    2040: 0.12
+    2045: 0.16
+    2050: 0.20
   HVC_production_today: 52.
   MWh_elec_per_tHVC_mechanical_recycling: 0.547
   MWh_elec_per_tHVC_chemical_recycling: 6.9
diff --git a/doc/release_notes.rst b/doc/release_notes.rst
index 44ccdff5..c394cb06 100644
--- a/doc/release_notes.rst
+++ b/doc/release_notes.rst
@@ -68,6 +68,14 @@ Upcoming Release
 
 * A ``test.sh`` script was added to the repository to run the tests locally.
 
+* Default settings for recycling rates and primary product shares of high-value
+  chemicals have been set in accordance with the values used in `Neumann et al.
+  (2023) <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2023.06.016>`_ linearly interpolated
+  between 2020 and 2050. The recycling rates are based on data from `Agora
+  Energiewende (2021)
+  <https://static.agora-energiewende.de/fileadmin/Projekte/2021/2021_02_EU_CEAP/A-EW_254_Mobilising-circular-economy_study_WEB.pdf>`_.
+
+
 
 PyPSA-Eur 0.9.0 (5th January 2024)
 ==================================
diff --git a/envs/environment.yaml b/envs/environment.yaml
index 26e18f0d..88e394fa 100644
--- a/envs/environment.yaml
+++ b/envs/environment.yaml
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ dependencies:
 - tabula-py
 - pyxlsb
 - graphviz
+- pre-commit
 
   # Keep in conda environment when calling ipython
 - ipython
diff --git a/scripts/add_existing_baseyear.py b/scripts/add_existing_baseyear.py
index 0235a4d7..4f476b4d 100644
--- a/scripts/add_existing_baseyear.py
+++ b/scripts/add_existing_baseyear.py
@@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ def add_heating_capacities_installed_before_baseyear(
                 "Link",
                 nodes,
                 suffix=f" {name} gas boiler-{grouping_year}",
-                bus0=spatial.gas.nodes,
+                bus0="EU gas" if "EU gas" in spatial.gas.nodes else nodes + " gas",
                 bus1=nodes + " " + name + " heat",
                 bus2="co2 atmosphere",
                 carrier=name + " gas boiler",
diff --git a/scripts/prepare_sector_network.py b/scripts/prepare_sector_network.py
index 42def055..03cba48b 100755
--- a/scripts/prepare_sector_network.py
+++ b/scripts/prepare_sector_network.py
@@ -1319,22 +1319,6 @@ def add_storage_and_grids(n, costs):
             n, "H2 pipeline ", carriers=["DC", "gas pipeline"]
         )
 
-        h2_pipes["p_nom"] = 0.0
-
-        if snakemake.input.get("custom_h2_pipelines"):
-            fn = snakemake.input.custom_h2_pipelines
-            custom_pipes = pd.read_csv(fn, index_col=0)
-
-            h2_pipes = pd.concat([h2_pipes, custom_pipes])
-
-            # drop duplicates according to buses (order can be different) and keep pipe with highest p_nom
-            h2_pipes["buses_sorted"] = h2_pipes[["bus0", "bus1"]].apply(sorted, axis=1)
-            h2_pipes = (
-                h2_pipes.sort_values("p_nom")
-                .drop_duplicates(subset=["buses_sorted"], keep="last")
-                .drop(columns="buses_sorted")
-            )
-
         # TODO Add efficiency losses
         n.madd(
             "Link",
@@ -1343,7 +1327,6 @@ def add_storage_and_grids(n, costs):
             bus1=h2_pipes.bus1.values + " H2",
             p_min_pu=-1,
             p_nom_extendable=True,
-            p_nom_min=h2_pipes.p_nom.values,
             length=h2_pipes.length.values,
             capital_cost=costs.at["H2 (g) pipeline", "fixed"] * h2_pipes.length.values,
             carrier="H2 pipeline",