HE H2Med hydrochannelThe project, which will cross the state of Zamora to transport green hydrogen on its way to neighboring France, will remain the first major green corridor in Germany and an energy backbone at the European level. Enagás, the main developer of the project, reached an agreement with the operator OGE to expand the pipe to meet the demand of companies in this region. The Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, as well as the main partners of the initiative, actively participated in the negotiations. Portugal, Spain, France and Germany. The aim of this ambitious exercise is to achieve climate neutrality at the community level by 2050.
The inclusion of German operator OGE in H2Med is key to the implementation of the application. This was advocated by Enagás CEO Arturo Gonzalo, who valued the support of the governments of Portugal, Spain, France and Germany for a strategic project to decarbonise Europe. This agreement also highlights the need to have a hydro canal passing through Zamora province to connect supply and demand. green hydrogen To advance cooperation and energy sovereignty in Europe.
The Portuguese and Spanish partners recognize that the development of H2Med is “vital” to connect these western countries and green hydrogen producers to the more demanding continental European region, the center and the north. This project and its national axes will provide a route to competitive hydrogen and contribute to a “more integrated and independent” European energy market by incorporating this relevant vector for decarbonization and community energy transition.
Germany’s involvement in the H2Med project was sealed this week with the signing of an agreement in Berlin attended by the Director General of Energy Policy and Mining. Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic StruggleManuel García argued that this hydro canal “is the best example of true European energy cooperation.” He also predicted that its implementation would “contribute to strengthening Spain’s energy security and decarbonising” national industries currently heavily dependent on fossil fuels, the use of which should be minimized.
The H2Med project was submitted to the Projects of Community Interest (PCI) call opened last December and is awaiting resolution. The document covers the connection between Celorico da Beira in Portugal and Zamora (CelZa) in Spain, and the sea connection between Barcelona and Marseille (BarMar). For now, Brussels has given the green light to the technical part as the first step in obtaining the long-awaited financing. Construction of the H2Med hydrochannel from the moment it crosses the border via Aliste until it reaches the Zamora compression station It will cost 157 million euros. The calculations were made by Enagás, which declared this project as a priority within the scope of Spain’s deployment of green hydrogen routes, which should be ready by 2030.
The so-called CelZa project, which will connect the Portuguese town of Celorico da Beira to the capital Zamora, will require a total investment of 350 million euros, half of which will come from the community following a call from Brussels. Following the approval of the technical project, the infrastructure is very well positioned.
Structure H2Med This is key to the development of Spain’s hydrogen backbone network, which has found a fundamental north-to-south axis for the transport of green hydrogen in Zamora. In addition, it is planned to create another branch with an exit to the east so that the tube can be connected to the center of the country and provide energy to that part.
Brussels Resolves Projects of Common Interest in November
H2Med is a project that has been ongoing for almost a year since its announcement by the Spanish Government and Enagás in December 2022. The initiative is currently in the final evaluation phase before a decision is made by the European Commission. not to declare it as a Project of Community Interest (PCI). It is expected to be in the next month of November when the body will decide and the feelings of the Spanish side could not be better. If it receives European approval, the hydrocanal will still need to pass the test of the Parliament and the European Council, which will happen in early 2024. From then on, the work will be eligible for funding from the Connecting Europe Facility. (CEF), for both studies and construction, will serve to accelerate the work and guarantee its start from 2026, with the aim of being operational by 2030.
The deployment of the H2Med hydro channel appears necessary to meet the demands of the European Commission, which is committed to the creation of new tubes for the transport of green hydrogen. Take advantage of existing gas pipelines. According to a recent report by the agency, this last option will reduce the value of fuel in terms of economy and efficiency.