An international tender has been launched for a pre-feasibility study for the Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor, a cross-border hydrogen project being developed by six European Union (EU) countries.
Lithuanian gas transmission system operator, Amber Grid, launched the tender on behalf of its project partners, which include European gas transmission system operators Gasgrid Finland, Elering, Conexus Baltic Grid, GAZ-SYSTEM, and ONTRAS. The project aims to develop a hydrogen supply infrastructure from Finland through Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland to Germany with the goal of connecting the green energy production regions in Northern Europe with the main consumption centres in Central Europe.
The pre-feasibility study will analyse European and regional energy policies and provide specific answers on the potential for green and low-carbon hydrogen production and consumption. It will also make recommendations on project scope, possible pipeline routing, financing, timing and risk management, as well as the possible location of storage. The study’s initial results are expected by the end of this year, and a decision will be made on the further development of the project based on its recommendations.
Partners said that the Hydrogen Corridor may create significant opportunities for the development of energy and related ecosystems. It will stimulate the demand for and development of green electricity, accelerate the development of the hydrogen economy, contribute to the European climate targets, and create conditions for investment in industrial and technological innovation, reduce the cost of energy transport, create jobs and generate additional revenue for countries.
Hydrogen is expected to become one of the main energy carriers in Europe as the EU Member States undergo dynamic changes linked to energy transformation and economic decarbonisation. It will strengthen the EU’s energy security, reduce dependence on imported fossil energy, and play an important role in reducing the dependence of energy-intensive European industries on imported fossil fuels.
In October 2022, French, Spanish and Portuguese TSOs revealed the EU’s first hydrogen corridor – the H2Med project – which will connect Spain, Portugal and France to the European Union’s energy network. Recently, Enagás, GRTgaz, Teréga, and REN signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to formalise the countries’ commitment to jointly develop the hydrogen subsea pipeline between Barcelona and Marseille, which is scheduled to begin operations in 2030. In January 2023, Germany announced plans to join the H2Med, which will have the capacity to transport up to 2 million tonnes per year (mtpa) of renewable hydrogen, representing 10% of the forecast consumption in Europe in 2030.
The deadline for submitting requests to participate in the tender is set for 15 May 2022 at 10:00 local time.
