The cross-border hydrogen infrastructure development projects – Nordic Hydrogen Route, Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor and Baltic Sea Hydrogen Collector – promoted by Gasgrid and its collaboration partners were approved by the European Parliament and the Council for their PCI status (Projects of Common Interest, PCI) on 8 April 2024. Receiving this status means that the EU regards these three hydrogen infrastructure projects in the Baltic Sea region as essential in achieving Europe’s energy policy goals, which is why the projects can now apply for EU support and receive an accelerated permitting process.
Gasgrid’s hydrogen projects were included on the European Commission’s Projects of Common Interest (PCI) list at the end of November 2023, and on 8 April 2024 the European Parliament and the Council approved the listings. The PCI statuses will formally enter into force on 28 April 2024.
“We are very pleased to have received the official PCI status for our projects. The status confirms that our projects are considered significant at the EU level and that we receive important EU support for their promotion. This provides a good basis for continuing to develop the pan-European hydrogen economy together with our partners,” says Sara Kärki, Senior Vice President, Hydrogen Development, at Gasgrid.
PCI status can be given to projects that are important to the European internal energy market and for the EU to achieve its energy and climate policy objectives: delivering affordable, secure and sustainable energy and reducing carbon dioxide emissions in accordance with the Paris Agreement. The projects must have a significant impact on the energy market and market integration in at least two EU Member States, increase competition on energy markets, and enhance the security of supply of energy by, for example, facilitating the integration of energy from renewable energy sources.
Now that the projects have been given PCI status, EU funding for projects can be applied through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and accelerated permitting processes can be obtained for the projects.
Gasgrid is involved in three hydrogen infrastructure projects which have now been given PCI status. The Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor project is planning a hydrogen infrastructure to be built from Finland via Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland to Germany. The Nordic Hydrogen Route project is exploring the hydrogen infrastructure between Finland and Sweden on the coast of the Bay of Bothnia. The Baltic Sea Hydrogen Collector project is developing the offshore hydrogen infrastructure that will connect Finland and Sweden to Central Europe. Gasgrid is promoting these hydrogen projects together with eight other gas transmission system operators operating in the Baltic Sea region and two industrial companies. Gasgrid has been mandated by the Finnish government to build a national and interconnected hydrogen transmission network and develop the hydrogen economy.
“Obtaining EU approval for projects will significantly support the building of a hydrogen economy. The pipeline infrastructure will make it possible to attract investments and new jobs to Finland. This will improve Finland’s energy self-sufficiency and security and create wellbeing throughout the country through new high-value products and by enabling growth. International hydrogen transmission connections will create new business opportunities for operators in the various stages of the hydrogen value chains. This will enable Finland to achieve the goal of becoming the European leader position in the hydrogen economy,” Kärki says.
According to a resolution adopted by the Finnish Government in 2023, Finland is well placed to develop into a forerunner in the hydrogen economy that produces 10% of the EU’s green hydrogen. Gasgrid is supporting the implementation of the resolution by means of its national hydrogen projects.
Discussion on the first routing plans for the national pipeline infrastructure to begin
At its stakeholder event on 17 April 2024, Gasgrid will publish the first more detailed routing plan options for the national pipeline infrastructure. In the first phase, feedback on route alternatives will be collected from regions and municipalities, as well as from companies and project developers involved in the development of the hydrogen economy. The feedback will be utilized in the further planning of the routes.
As a basis for the development of the national hydrogen network, Gasgrid has conducted extensive stakeholder discussions and conducted market surveys, for example, to determine the willingness of industrial operators and project developers to join the national and international hydrogen network. This work will continue.
Additional information:
Projects:
Nordic Hydrogen Route project
Baltic Sea Hydrogen Collector project
Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor project
Inquiries:
Sara Kärki, Senior Vice President, Hydrogen Development, Gasgrid Finland Oy, sara.karki@gasgrid.fi, tel. +358 40 158 1722
Media inquiries: viestinta@gasgrid.fi
