AFRY Management Consulting, winner of the tender, 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. The study, which will provide a comprehensive, fact-based framework to allow the optimal decisions to be made, is set to be completed in six months, by mid-2024.
The goal of the Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor project is to create the connection between green energy production regions in Northern Europe with the main consumption centres in Central Europe. This project is scheduled to be implemented by 2030.
“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,” says Nemunas Biknius, CEO of the Lithuanian gas transmission system operator Amber Grid.
The hydrogen corridor is expected to boost the development of energy and related ecosysems. It will promote the development of renewable electricity production, utilisation of renewable energy sources, accelerate the hydrogen economy development and contribute to the implementation of European climate goals. 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. Based on the recommendations of the pre-feasibility study on the hydrogen corridor, the project partners will make decisions on the further development of the project.
In December 2022, six gas transmission system operators, the project partners, signed a cooperation agreement on promoting the project together. In November 2023, the Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor was granted the status of the project of common interest (PCI) by the European Commission.
Hydrogen is expected to become one of the main energy carriers in Europe, given the dynamic changes related to energy transformation and decarbonisation of the economy taking place across the European Union, says Amber Grid.