Six European transmission system operators have recently announced that they will examine the feasibility of the Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor (NBHC). The contract to carry out a pre-feasibility study was signed by the German ONTRAS Gastransport GmbH and representatives from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland and Poland.
The NBHC, which has been in planning since December 2022, aims to create a cross-border hydrogen corridor connecting Northern Europe's green energy production regions with the central consumption centers in Central Europe. In order to lay the foundation for further decisions, the pre-feasibility study is to be carried out by the renowned Düsseldorf-based consultancy Afry Management Consulting over the next six months.
Afry analyzes potential from Finland to Germany
In particular, Afry will examine the conditions for the development of a cross-border hydrogen infrastructure from Finland via the Baltic countries and Poland to Germany. In addition, the potential for the use and production of green hydrogen in the regions of the corridor will be analyzed.
The planned completion of the NBHC project by 2030 is in line with the grid operators' vision to efficiently connect the major green energy production regions with the main consumption centers in Central Europe. The study will not only provide recommendations on the scope of the project, but also on the optimal pipeline route, transportation capacities, financing and risk management. Potential locations for hydrogen storage facilities will also be examined.
Nemunas Biknius, CEO of Amber Grid, emphasizes the supra-regional significance of the study results and stresses that the entire region is actively looking for opportunities to develop a hydrogen ecosystem. The NBHC project was already awarded Project of Common Interest (PCI) status by the European Commission in November 2023, after the participating grid operators signed an initial cooperation agreement in December 2022.
