Decisive step towards creating a hydrogen corridor connecting Spain with Germany, from Portugal and through France. They announce the alliance of European companies to accelerate the creation of “H2med”, a network that allows the production, storage and transport of hydrogen from the south to the north of Europe through different infrastructures such as hydrogen plants, hydrogen valleys or gas pipelines.
This corporate union, which involves companies such as Moeve or Enagás in Spain, seeks to implement this strategic hydrogen corridor to early 2030s. This will strengthen a European hydrogen value chain, contribute to climate neutrality and promote the energy independence of the European Union.
The agreement was announced this afternoon during its presentation at the German Embassy in Madrid in which Stefan Wenzel, Parliamentary Secretary of State of the Federal Ministry of Economy and Climate Action from Germany; Joan Groizard, the Secretary of State for Energy of the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge of the Government of Spain; Joao Mira-Gomes, the Portuguese ambassador in Spain, and María Margarete Gosse, the German ambassador in Spain.
The alliance is made up of energy and technology companies, as well as promoters of the H2med project. “This effort reflects a shared vision of climate neutrality in Europe powered by renewable, low-carbon hydrogen” and “contributes to the achievement of the decarbonization and energy transition objectives of the Green Deal and Europe’s Fitfor55, in line with the National Energy and Climate Plans, the vision articulated in the Draghi Report and the upcoming Clean Industrial Deal,” they report.
This vast project includes the hydrogen interconnection between Portugal and Spaincalled the CelZa plan (Celorico da Beira-Zamora), a new pipeline with a capacity of 0.75 million tons per year, and the submarine pipeline to connect Spain with Francethe BarMar (Barcelona-Marseille), with a capacity of 2 million tons per year.
This transversal, multi-regional and multi-sector collaboration, the alliance says, “will be essential to provide a solid foundation that drives hydrogen supply and demandcreating the best conditions to develop strategic projects.” The alliance will facilitate collaboration in all segments of the hydrogen value chain (production, technology, consumption, transportation…) to “generate a real tractor effect and long-term that drives the sector”.
The initiative is expected to contribute to boosting the national hydrogen market and decarbonization in Spain, creating incentives to increase production and consumption capacitiesand to integrate energy supply and demand in Europe. “This will guarantee the competitiveness of the European industry, as well as the long-term security of supply and the resilience of the European energy system,” they point out.
Through this alliance, the participants will establish a cooperation framework that contributes to the development of the southwest hydrogen corridor, mainly formed by the H2Med, HY-FEN and HySoW gas pipeline projects, the Portuguese and Spanish backbone networks, in connection with the OGE gas pipelines as part of the German central hydrogen network, all of them recognized as Projects of Common Interest (PIC) by the European Union.
To this end, members will meet regularly to ensure coordination, identification and reporting of synergies and opportunities. This is an open alliance that aims to include other companies and regions in the near future, and that also seeks the support of governments.
Key points
Participants: It includes companies such as Enagás (Spain), Moeve (Spain), DH2 (Spain), Thyssenkrupp nucera, HDF, Hynamics, QAIR, SEFE, SHS-Stahl-Holding-Saar, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, GRTgaz, OGE, REN and Teréga.
Countries involved: Spain, Portugal, France and Germany.
Goals: Create a single European hydrogen market. Connect hydrogen production, storage and consumption projects. Contribute to Europe’s decarbonization objectives, aligned with the Green Deal and Fitfor55.
Key infrastructure: It includes gas pipeline projects such as H2Med, HY-FEN and HySoW, recognized as Projects of Common Interest (PIC) by the EU.