Approval for the development of the H2Med hydrogen corridor in Spain
Enagás Infraestructuras de Hidrógeno, the Spanish Transmission System Operator, has received preliminary government approval to begin work on the Spanish section of H2Med, the first large-scale hydrogen pipeline in Europe.
What is H2Med?
In October 2022, the leaders of France, Portugal, and Spain agreed to invest in H2Med, also known as the Green Hydrogen Corridor, connecting Barcelona with Marseille. These plans were later updated, and the pipeline’s current route is expected to run from the Iberian Peninsula through the Mediterranean Sea to Fos-sur-Mer, and then on to Germany. The infrastructure aims to transport up to 10% of Europe’s total hydrogen demand. The pipeline is scheduled for completion in 2030.
Enagás with the Council of Ministers’ approval
On July 29, 2024, the Council of Ministers approved an agreement authorizing Enagás to temporarily carry out functions related to the development of European Projects of Common Interest (PCI) for hydrogen networks. These new responsibilities include obtaining authorization, construction, commissioning, operation, monitoring, and maintenance of hydrogen networks classified as European PCI – H2Med, the Spanish hydrogen network, and two associated underground storage facilities.
This decision is crucial for advancing work on the H2Med hydrogen pipeline. So far, contracts for initial engineering work and environmental impact assessments were awarded in March 2024, and a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) for the BarMar hydrogen infrastructure project, a subsea pipeline connecting Spain (Barcelona) and France (Marseille), was signed. The participants in this agreement include Enagás, GRTgaz, and Teréga, in collaboration with OGE.
Enagás estimates that, upon commissioning the €2.5 billion hydrogen pipeline, Spain will have a hydrogen production capacity of up to 3 million tons per year. Approximately 1.3 million tons will be consumed domestically, while the remainder will be exported to other European countries via H2Med. Ursula von der Leyen commented two years ago that this investment has “the potential to help us build a true European hydrogen backbone.”
Source: www.offshore-energy.biz