Start the southwest hydrogen corridorbetter known as the H2med Project, and to do this at the beginning of the 2030s, is the main goal of an alliance of companies that Enagás and Moeve recently joined.
Moeve, DH2, thyssenkrupp nucera, Elyse energy, HDF, Hynamics, QAIR, SEFE, SHS-Stahl-Holding-Saar and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners – energy and technology companies – and Enagas, GRTgaz, OGE, REN and Teréga – promoters of H2med, create the alliance for the H2med Southwest Hydrogen Corridor. This alliance will bring together countries such as France, Germany, Portugal and Spain, strengthening the commitment of these countries a common European hydrogen market and connecting projects for the production, storage and consumption of hydrogen.
This initiative aims to accelerate development the decarbonization of industrial regions through the implementation of the hydrogen corridor of south-west H2med in the early 2030s, with the aim of driving a strong hydrogen value chain.
Firm commitment to H2med
This effort reflects a shared vision of climate neutrality in Europe powered by renewable, low-carbon hydrogen. In this context, the alliance contributes to achieving the decarbonization and energy transition objectives of the Green Deal and the European Fitfor55, in line with the National Energy and Climate Plans, the vision expressed in the Draghi Report and the next Clean Industrial Deal.
The alliance was announced at a meeting at the German Embassy in Madrid entitled “Scaling up green hydrogen for domestic use and export”, where Stefan Wenzel, Parliamentary Undersecretary of the Federal Ministry of Economy and Climate Action of Germany, Joan Groizard Payeras, Secretary Secretary of State for Energy of the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge of the Spanish Government, João Mira-Gomes, Ambassador of Portugal to Spain, and Maria Margarete Gosse, German Ambassador to Spain.
This transversal, multi-regional and multi-sectoral cooperation will be essential to lay a solid foundation for this stimulating the supply and demand of hydrogencreating the best conditions to develop strategic projects. The alliance will facilitate cooperation and communication between its members in all segments of the hydrogen value chain (production, technology, consumption, transport…). This multilateral coordination is a key element to generate a real long-term incentive effect that drives the sector.
This alliance will help boost national hydrogen markets and decarbonization in their respective countries, creating incentives to increase production and consumption capacities, and integrating energy supply and demand in Europe.
Taking into account the strategic role of hydrogen for the decarbonisation of particularly complicated sectors (industry and maritime, air transport and heavy transport), it is essential to trans-European ecosystem and the creation of an internal hydrogen market. This will ensure the competitiveness of European industry, the long-term security of supply and the resilience of the European energy system.
The Alicante Declaration, signed by European leaders during the 2022 Euromed Summit, underlined the European commitment to seek collective solutions to the energy problem. with an emphasis on hydrogen and its transport as key elements for the continent’s energy independence.
Through this alliance, participants will establish a collaborative framework that contributes to the Development of the Southwest Hydrogen Corridormainly formed by the H2Med, HY-FEN and HySoW gas pipeline projects, the Portuguese and Spanish backbone networks, in connection with the OGE gas pipelines as part of the German hydrogen core network, all recognized or candidates for recognition as projects of common interest ( PIC) for the European Union.
In addition, the alliance members will work together strengthen the use of hydrogen network projectsand to connect hydrogen production, storage and consumption projects, contributing to the growth of the hydrogen economy in Europe.
To this end, members will meet periodically to ensure coordination, identification and reporting of synergies and opportunities. This is an open alliance that also wants to involve other companies and regions in the near future and is also seeking the support of governments.
This collaboration contributes to the development and strengthening of a European industry that is competitive, resilient and sustainable, thus helping to achieve the objectives national and European targets for decarbonisation of the economy and the long-term security of supply and resilience of the energy system.