Nine gas transmission system operators in the countries surrounding the Baltic Sea have come together to sign a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at coordinating and facilitating the development of hydrogen infrastructure and fostering the growth of the hydrogen market in the region. The TSOs involved in the MoU include Polish GAZ-SYSTEM, Estonian Elering, Danish Energinet, Finnish Gasgrid Vetyverkot, Lithuanian Amber Grid, Swedish Nordion Energi, German GASCADE Gastransport, Latvian Conexus Baltic Grid, and German ONTRAS Gastransport.
The primary objective of this cooperation is to coordinate the activities of these collaborators in order to promote the development of the hydrogen economy in the Baltic Sea region. The companies will work together to coordinate the development of infrastructure projects for the transmission and storage of hydrogen in the region. They will also share information on developments in the hydrogen market and projects related to renewable hydrogen production and demand. This collaborative effort aligns closely with the EU’s Baltic energy market interconnection plan (BEMIP) group.
The Baltic Sea region is well-suited for clean hydrogen production due to its abundant renewable energy resources. It has the potential to supply up to 45 percent of the clean hydrogen production outlined in the REPowerEU plan by 2030. The region’s onshore and offshore wind resources can be utilized for hydrogen production, creating a clean hydrogen market in the near future. To unlock this potential, infrastructure and industrial companies operating in the Baltic Sea region are developing new hydrogen pipeline infrastructure. The aim is to deliver hydrogen from supply-rich regions to demand centre’s.
This infrastructure development supports the achievement of the REPowerEU plan and the targets set by the Marienborg declaration, signed by the prime ministers of the Baltic Sea countries in 2022. The signed MoU and active collaboration among the companies will concretely advance the objectives of the Marienborg declaration, particularly in terms of exploring joint cross-border renewable energy projects and identifying infrastructure needs. The development of new infrastructure for both hydrogen and electricity is crucial for accessing renewable energy sources, necessitating cooperation between TSOs in the Baltic Sea region.
Enhancing the safety and resilience of the European energy system is a key goal of the EU agenda and the Marienborg Declaration. Reducing Europe’s dependence on imported Russian fossil fuels and accelerating progress towards European climate targets are also important objectives. Developing the production and utilization potential of hydrogen is seen as a critical element in achieving these targets. By collaborating and rolling out hydrogen infrastructures, the gas TSOs aim to contribute to this process and help create a competitive and liquid hydrogen market with multiple suppliers and users.
The coordinated development of hydrogen infrastructure in the Baltic Sea region will support the creation of a flexible, safe, resilient, sustainable, and integrated pan-European energy system. The planned hydrogen infrastructures, in line with EU and regional targets, are expected to cover Finland, Sweden, the Baltic states, Poland, and Germany by 2030.
To advance these goals, the gas transmission operators have initiated several large-scale studies for the development of cross-border hydrogen infrastructure projects. These projects align with the REPowerEU plan, regional targets, national strategies, and the European Hydrogen Backbone vision. Currently, there are three cross-border infrastructure projects with Project of Common Interest status: the Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor, the Baltic Sea Hydrogen Collector, and the Nordic Hydrogen Route. Additionally, the gas infrastructure operators are planning to implement other projects in a coordinated manner, including cross-border interconnectors, domestic backbones, and hydrogen storage.
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