Spain, France and Portugal agreed to push the first major hydrogen corridor in the European Union and later joined Germany in the effort. A vast project named H2Med aims to serve as the linchpin, with planned investments of around 2,500 million euros supporting a renewable hydrogen revolution that gradually replaces natural gas in economic sectors where electrification is difficult or impossible.
Now the three countries are moving even further. Despite recent tensions between Madrid and Paris, they have signed a new alliance to build the necessary technology to transform existing natural gas networks and enable hydrogen transport in the future. The core question of which hydrogen from the European Union qualifies as either green or otherwise adds pressure to the future of H2Med.
Gas-system operators in Spain (Enagás), France (GRTgaz and Teréga) and Portugal (REN) are joining forces to launch the iGreen2TSO initiative. The goal is to shift their roles from managers of current gas pipelines to operators of potential future hydrogen networks. The project plans to introduce new technologies that accelerate hydrogen development within the European transport grid, with support from the European Commission, which has approved co-financing for one of the projects by the three nations.
The Green2TSO consortium will run pilot projects, technology trials and other activities to fast-track the transformation of the natural gas grid through open innovation and cross-country cooperation. Priority areas include developing a hydrogen metering system, surface compaction and storage, and alternative coatings and cleaning methods for gas pipelines.
The cooperation among independent system operators, including in the realm of innovation, is seen as essential for building renewable gas infrastructure across Europe, says Arturo Gonzalo, chief executive officer of Enagás. He notes that the agreement aligns with the European Union’s broad aim to decarbonize the economy and strengthen energy independence, as outlined in the REPowerEU strategy. He adds that initiatives like Green2TSO will bolster the necessary capacities and support the ongoing development of Hydrogen Grid Operator activities.
Concerns over H2Med
In recent weeks, disputes between Spain and France over which hydrogen classification should be labeled green have spilled into public debate and even a visible rift. Spain views the disagreement as a threat to the project, while France pushes for criteria that could widen the scope of what qualifies as green hydrogen. Both sides have publicly defended their positions, but officials insist the disagreement will not derail the initiative.
The European Commission has indicated that hydrogen produced from energy generated by nuclear power could receive a label akin to renewable hydrogen, a stance that France, home to Europe’s largest nuclear program, supports. Spain opposes this approach, and the Twenty-Seven member states and the European Parliament will need to weigh in before any official decision is made. The debate centers on how to define a green label for hydrogen while ensuring it aligns with Europe’s climate and energy goals.
The tension intensifies as France challenges the EU’s effort to level the playing field for renewable hydrogen and nuclear-based hydrogen. The original planning for H2Med envisioned a one-way flow: hydrogen transport from the Iberian Peninsula to the rest of Europe. France has raised questions about reversing the flow to allow hydrogen produced with nuclear-powered electricity to be sent to Spain. According to reports, the project’s formal studies did not anticipate this reverse flow, but it is now part of the broader discussion about the corridor’s bidirectional potential.
While the published project plan to secure European funds only envisions hydrogen shipments from Spain to France, Enagás concedes that the technical design of the future hydrogen corridor will allow bidirectional use if needed. Presently, there are no plans to install a compressor in Marseille to enable sending hydrogen from there to Barcelona. Hydrogen is expected to move in both directions ultimately, but current expectations suggest Spain is the primary outbound source to Europe.