Nordic Hydrogen Route
Nordic Hydrogen Route is an initiative between Gasgrid Finland and Nordion Energi to accelerate the creation of a hydrogen economy by building up a cross-border hydrogen infrastructure in Bothnian Bay region and an open hydrogen market by 2030. The aim of Nordic Hydrogen Route is to drive decarbonization, support regional green industrialization, economic development, and European energy independence. The companies seek to develop a network of pipelines that would effectively transport energy from producers to consumers to ensure they have access to an open, reliable, and safe hydrogen market.
The Nordic Hydrogen Route will drive decarbonisation, support regional green industrialisation, economic development and European energy independence. In addition, Nordic Hydrogen Route will accelerate the creation of hydrogen economy and new investments to support European energy transition and increase the access to green and competitive domestic energy.
Nomination as a Project of Common Interest by the European Commission
Nordic Hydrogen Route was nominated November 28, 2023 on the list of energy projects for building a more integrated and resilient EU energy market and pursuing EU energy and climate goals. The European Commission announced its list of European Projects of Common Interest (PCI) on November 28, 2023. The Commission will now submit the PCI list to the European Parliament and the Council for approval.
By being part of the PCI-list, the NHR is deemed as a key cross-border infrastructure project that will contribute to the EU’s energy independence, climate targets and to establishing an affordable, secure and sustainable European energy system. The Parliament and the Council have two months to approve the Commission’s list. If neither of the institutions reject the Commission’s proposal, the PCI list enters into force.
Projects of common interest (PCIs) are key infrastructure projects aimed at completing the European internal energy market in order to help the EU achieve its energy and climate policy objectives: delivering affordable, secure and sustainable energy for all Europeans and contributing to energy indepencency and a climate-neutral economy by 2050. A PCI status enables simplified permitting processes and the possibility to apply for funding from EU´s Connecting Europe Facility program.
Preliminary schedule
Facts
- 1,000 km of new, dedicated hydrogen pipelines will serve 65 TWh of identified potential hydrogen demand in the Bothnian Bay region by 2050.
- The core route will be along the coastline, with a branch to Kiruna.
- The Nordic Hydrogen Route investment is estimated at 3.5B EUR, offering a hydrogen transportation cost of 0.1-0.2 €/kg.
- The pipeline would enable ten-fold investments around 37B EUR in wind power and electrolysis.
- The pipeline can facilitate emissions savings of up to 20 Mt CO2e per year by 2050. This represents around 20% of current yearly emissions in Finland and Sweden and helping the countries reach their respective climate neutrality targets of 2035 and 2045.
- The regional hydrogen economy is expected to create up to 25,000 jobs by 2030, and up to 46,000 by 2040.
