Six European Gas Transmission System Operators (TSOs) have awarded a contract for the pre-feasibility study (PFS) on the Nordic-Baltic green hydrogen corridor project.
The TSOs include Gasgrid Finland (Finland), Elering (Estonia), Conexus Baltic Grid (Latvia), Amber Grid (Lithuania), GAZ-SYSTEM (Poland) and ONTRAS (Germany).
Sweden-based consulting, engineering, and design company AFRY Management Consulting, the winner of the tender, will analyse the conditions for the project development.
It will analyse the cross-border hydrogen infrastructure from Finland, through the Baltic countries and Poland to Germany, along with green hydrogen trends in the region.
It is planned that the study, which will provide a comprehensive, fact-based framework to allow optimal decisions to be made, will be prepared by the middle of 2024.
The Nordic-Baltic hydrogen corridor project aims to create a connection between green energy production regions in Northern Europe, with primary consumption centres in Central Europe.
The green hydrogen project is expected to be implemented by 2030.
Gasgrid Finland hydrogen development senior vice president Sara Kärki said: “Having analysed the current economic situation, the consultants of the Pre-feasibility Study will provide answers about the potential of green and low-carbon hydrogen production and consumption in the region.
“They will also provide recommendations on the scope of the project, pipeline routing, capacities, financing, and risk management. In addition, potential hydrogen storage sites will be investigated.
“The results of the study will be extremely important for the entire region, which is currently actively looking for opportunities to develop the hydrogen ecosystem.”
Based on the recommendations of the PFS on the hydrogen corridor, the project partners will make decisions on the further development of the project.
The hydrogen corridor project will support EU climate targets, development of a hydrogen economy and create great opportunities.
It will promote the development of renewable energy sources, production, and use of green electricity, and advance the development of the hydrogen economy.
Furthermore, it will create 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 states.
The Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor project aims to strongly support the regional and EU climate targets.
In December 2022, the six European gas transmission system operators and the project partners signed a cooperation agreement to promote the project.
In November last year, the Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor project received the status of a project of common interest (PCI) from the European Commission (EC).
