EU promotes hydrogen corridor from Finland to Germany

06.02.2025

Source: E & M powernews

The EU Commission is funding the Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor (NBHC) with 6.8 million euros. The project connects Finland with Germany via the Baltic states and Poland.

The funds for the joint pipeline project of the transmission system operators (TSOs) from Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and the German company Ontras Gastransport GmbH come from the EU's Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) program. The aim is to build a hydrogen infrastructure connecting Finland with Germany via the Baltic states and Poland (see info box).

The EU Commission considers the project to be an important contribution to security of supply and the decarbonization of European industry, as Ontras Gastransport explained in a press release on 5 February. The financial support is to be used for feasibility studies in the countries involved, in particular for investigations into route planning and the construction of compressor stations. Economic analyses as well as environmental and safety approvals will also be financed. According to Ontras, the studies should be completed by the end of 2026.

Gunar Schmidt, Managing Director of Operations and Safety at Ontras, sees the funding as a decisive step for the project: "The EU Commission's decision shows the relevance of the project for a clean and secure energy supply. We can now further develop the hydrogen corridor."

The NBHC project is part of the European strategy to integrate renewable hydrogen into existing and future industrial networks. The pipeline is primarily intended to support the decarbonization of sectors that are difficult to electrify, such as the steel and chemical industries. According to the project consortium, the hydrogen corridor could reduce annual CO2 emissions in Europe by up to 37 million tons by 2050.

By connecting production sites for renewable hydrogen with consumption centers, the project also strengthens security of supply. It contributes to achieving the European Union's climate targets.

The Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor (NBHC)

The NBHC is an international infrastructure project involving six countries. As part of the project, green hydrogen is to be transported through Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland to Germany. The exact route is still being planned, but is expected to cover several thousand kilometers and connect strategically important locations.

The feasibility phase should be completed by mid-2026. However, the pipeline is expected to be commissioned in the late 2020s - depending on how quickly the partner countries complete the individual planning and implementation phases.

The countries' transmission system operators are participating in the project: Gasgrid Vetyverkot Oy from Finland, Elering from Estonia, Conexus Baltic Grid from Latvia, Amber Grid from Lithuania, Gaz-System from Poland and Ontras Gastransport from Germany. The corridor is intended to serve as the backbone for a European hydrogen infrastructure, use renewable energy sources and connect central demand centers in Central Europe.

Author: Davina Spohn