The European Hydrogen Backbone (EHB) initiative and its members, including Gasgrid Finland, stand ready to deliver the hydrogen infrastructure needed to achieve Europe’s 2030 hydrogen targets. EHB asks for a clear mandate, and suitable policy and regulatory support for this as it hands over its pledge to Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice President of the European Commission.
The European Hydrogen Backbone initiative of 31 TSOs is willing and capable to deliver the hydrogen infrastructure required to meet the EU’s ambitious REPowerEU targets for 2030 and beyond. The organisations operating gas infrastructures have favorable conditions to develop new hydrogen infrastructure alongside existing gas infrastructures, as well as the capacity to promote necessary investments.
“Gasgrid Finland is ready to promote the development of both regional and trans-European hydrogen networks and infrastructure. The potential of the Baltic Sea region and Finland is very significant and the market size in the region is estimated to be 127 TWh per year already in 2030. Together with the EHB Group, we recommend that the implementation of corridors connecting hydrogen valleys will be raised to a front row infrastructure project and a political goal,” says Olli Sipilä, CEO of Gasgrid Finland.
The EHB initiative has identified five hydrogen supply corridors that can bridge regional differences in supply and demand and deliver access to abundant and low-cost hydrogen supply by 2030. These import connections envisioned by EHB are consistent with major import/hydrogen corridors identified by the European Commission in the REPowerEU package. The members of the EHB initiative ask for a clear mandate and suitable policy support to prioritize these corridors.
A pledge from the EHB initiative will be handed over to the European Commission on 7 June 2022.
More information:
Olli Sipilä, CEO, Gasgrid Finland Oy, p. +358 40 589 4686, olli.sipila@gasgrid.fi
Sara Kärki, Head of Strategic Analysis & RDI, +358 40 158 1722, sara.karki@gasgrid.fi