The European Gas Transmission System Operators: Gasgrid Finland (Finland), Elering (Estonia), Conexus Baltic Grid (Latvia), Amber Grid (Lithuania), GAZ-SYSTEM (Poland) and ONTRAS (Germany) participating in the international project for the creation of the Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor signed a contract for the preparation of pre-feasibility study on the green hydrogen corridor.
AFRY Management Consulting, the tender winner, will analyse the conditions for the development of cross-border hydrogen infrastructure from Finland, through the Baltic countries and Poland to Germany, as well as green hydrogen trends in the region. It is planned that the study providing a comprehensive, fact-based framework to allow the optimal decisions to be made, will be prepared in six months, i.e. by mid-2024.
The natural gas transmission system operators are investigating the opportunities for development of cross-border infrastructure to transport hydrogen from Finland via Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland to Germany, the so-called Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor.
The objective of the Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor project is to create a connection between the regions with high potential for green energy production in Northern Europe with the main consumption centres in Central Europe. This project is expected to be implemented by 2030.
“The Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor is a principal project aimed at utilising the significant potential for renewable hydrogen production to support the energy transition process in Poland and in other countries in the Baltic Sea region. The contract signed by GAZ-SYSTEM and other promoters of this project also confirms the commitment of natural gas transmission system operators to the creation of a regional hydrogen infrastructure, which – based on local resources – will contribute to the further development of national economies and provide with safe supplies of green hydrogen.” – said Andrzej Kensbok, Vice-President of the Management Board of GAZ-SYSTEM.
It is considered that this hydrogen corridor would create great opportunities for the development of energy and related ecosystems. It will promote the development of renewable electricity production, utilisation of renewable energy sources, accelerate hydrogen economy development and contribute to the achievement of European climate goals. Furthermore, it will create favourable conditions for investment in industrial and technological innovation along the entire pipeline route, reduce energy transportation costs, create jobs and generate additional income for the countries.
The Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor project additionally aims to strongly support the achievement of regional and EU climate targets. Based on the recommendations of the pre-feasibility study of the hydrogen corridor, the project partners will decide on its further implementation.
In December 2022, the project partners signed a cooperation agreement for the joint development of the project. In November 2023, the Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor was granted the status of the Project of Common Interest (PCI) by the European Commission. Now, since the project partners have signed the contract for the pre-feasibility study, the project has taken the next important step – to further investigate the possibility of the Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor creation.
With the dynamic changes related to energy transition and decarbonization of the economy in the Member States, it is expected that hydrogen will become one of the main energy carriers in Europe. Hydrogen will strengthen the EU’s energy security and will play an important role in reducing the dependence of the energy-intensive European industries on imported fossil fuels. In addition, it will significantly contribute to the achievement of the EU’s greenhouse gas reduction target once fossil fuels in industry, transport and energy sectors are replaced with renewable and low-carbon hydrogen or its derivatives.
