Hydrogen : operators GRTgaz, GRTgaz Deutschland, and OGE speak a common language
At their meeting in Paris on July 20th they confirmed their intention to cooperate along the west European hydrogen corridor, by adapting their natural gas systems for the transport of hydrogen by 2030.
And so is the plan to further complete the European H2 puzzle
Renewable and low carbon hydrogen will be mainly produced from solar and wind energy on the Iberian Peninsula in both Spain and Portugal. It will be delivered to France through an offshore pipeline crossing the Mediterranean Sea, from Barcelona to Marseille. France is considered balanced between its low carbon hydrogen production and its customer and mobility base, with solid storage capacities. Hydrogen will, continuing towards Germany. Once the hydrogen reaches Germany, it will be transported to large industrial customers in southern Germany, including East of Bavaria. The necessary pipeline system is already in place.
An important section is composed mainly of the MEGAL system, a joint venture of GRTgaz Deutschland and OGE which was built almost 50 years ago for the transmission of Russian natural gas from East to West. MEGAL will be given a second life by transporting climate-friendly hydrogen produced in Europe in the opposite direction in the future.
Political support
In January 2023 President Macron and Chancellor Scholz announced that they would take the necessary measures to extend the transport of these hydrogen volumes through France to Germany. This support has been reiterated at various occasions in Germany and France.
In June 2023, the H2 pipelines projects promoted by GRTgaz, GRTgaz Deutschland and OGE passed the costs based analysis ranking of the European Commission, a significant step toward their acknowledgement as Projects of Common Interest.
The TSOs actively cooperate to implement this corridor and to take their part in the energy transition across the EU.
We are looking forward to continue the discussion with industry and political stakeholders for the advancement of the project.
You can find an outline of how the H2 system should look like in Southwest Europe below this post.
