The European hydrogen sector has taken a key step this week with the approval of the central hydrogen network in Germany. On Tuesday, October 22, the German regulator Bundesnetzagentur (BNetzA) approved Europe’s largest H2 transport system, which will span 9,040 kilometers in length.
The project will be built by 2032 and will be mostly (60%) made up of existing pipelines that will be converted to transport hydrogen. The investment in the project amounts to 18.9 billion euros.
This network will have the capacity to transport 278 TWh of hydrogen, a significant figure that will help reduce carbon emissions and support the decarbonization of industrial and energy sectors across Europe.
The first sections of this hydrogen network are expected to be operational by 2025, while the project’s completion date is set for 2032.
In addition to the 15 transmission system operators (TSOs) that will be in charge of the central network, 10 distribution operators will also participate in managing the infrastructure. One of the project’s highlights is the cross-border connection with France, which will be carried out through the H2Med corridor, between Obergailbach and Medelsheim.
Once the project is approved, the TSOs will begin the construction and adaptation phase of the existing infrastructure. The first gas pipeline sections will be converted to transport hydrogen throughout the next year. Another important milestone will be the establishment of the hydrogen network’s toll, which will be determined by the German regulator BNetzA towards the end of 2024.
The German government has set the goal of installing 10 GW of electrolysis capacity by 2030.
This central network will not only be key to Germany’s energy transition, but it will also strengthen hydrogen connections with other European countries and is a key milestone in building a European infrastructure for this technology.
H2MED Corridor
As Germany advances with its central hydrogen network, Enagás submitted a request on October 21 to the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) program, in collaboration with operators GRTgaz, Teréga, REN, and OGE, to conduct studies on the H2Med corridor, which will connect Spain, France, Portugal, and Germany.
This is a significant signal, as the green hydrogen sector points to funding as one of the main challenges developers face.
The total investments for the H2Med project are estimated at around 2.5 billion euros. Together with the North-1 and North-2 storage systems, the total investment reaches about 3.6 billion euros. When adding the necessary pipelines in Spain for domestic hydrogen distribution, the total investments rise to 4.7 billion euros.
The request for these CEF grants was planned in the H2MED schedule, which also includes the request for Projects of Common Interest (PCI) for the renewal of this status from September to November. For 2025, the request for CEF – E grants for the construction of this project is scheduled, and by 2026, the validation of the financing mechanism for the construction and final investment decision will take place. Additionally, the initiative’s start date is scheduled for 2030.
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