European transmission system operators — Gasgrid Finland (Finland), Elering (Estonia), Conexus Baltic Grid (Latvia), Amber Grid (Lithuania), GAZ-System (Poland), and ONTRAS Gastransport GmbH (Germany) — have successfully completed a pre-feasibility study for the Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor (NBHC).
The study, initiated in January 2024, outlines the key conditions for implementing the NBHC, a corridor designed to transport renewable hydrogen from Finland through the Baltics and Poland to Germany. It covers the technical, legal, organizational, and economic aspects necessary for the project. The corridor will play a crucial role in achieving the European Union’s decarbonization targets by delivering hydrogen produced within the EU.
The Baltic Sea region has significant potential for renewable hydrogen production, estimated at 27.1 million tons (both onshore and offshore) by 2040. This potential creates a substantial opportunity for hydrogen export, which the NBHC seeks to address.
By 2040, the corridor is projected to transport up to 2.7 million tons of renewable hydrogen annually to Central Europe. The pre-feasibility study suggests that NBHC could become one of Europe's first operational hydrogen corridors. The planned pipeline, with a diameter of 1,200 mm (DN1200), will span approximately 2,500 km, equipped with multiple compressor stations.
"The involved transmission system operators are laying the groundwork for scaling the hydrogen economy across six European member states. Cross-border collaboration between producers, transporters, and consumers will be vital to Europe's energy transition," said the project partners.
"The NBHC will offer numerous opportunities for both hydrogen-producing regions and consumption centers in the participating countries. The new corridor enhances flexibility and supply security, bringing hydrogen from producers to markets. The connections to Germany's hydrogen core network, being developed by the participating TSOs, will open up additional hydrogen markets and storage facilities within the European Union," added Ralph Bahke, Managing Director of ONTRAS for Steering and Development.
The NBHC project is a cornerstone for Europe’s transition to a sustainable and decarbonized energy system. It will support the EU's climate goals and promote regional energy cooperation. Specifically, the corridor could reduce carbon emissions by up to 37 million tons of CO2-equivalent annually by 2050. It will enhance energy security and diversity in the region and across Europe by linking local renewable hydrogen production to demand centers and helping decarbonize industrial sectors that face challenges in lowering their emissions.
In April 2024, the NBHC was granted the status of a Project of Common Interest (PCI) by the European Commission as part of the "Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan for Hydrogen" (BEMIP Hydrogen). This status provides benefits such as eligibility for EU project funding and expedited approval processes.
Based on the pre-feasibility study results, the involved transmission system operators will now proceed with a feasibility study, which will include a detailed technical analysis, as well as a commercial and economic evaluation of the project.
