South-East European Hydrogen Corridor (SEEHyC) Study Successfully Completed
Eight leading European gas Transmission System Operators have successfully completed the Corridor Study for the South-East European Hydrogen Corridor (SEEHyC), a strategic infrastructure initiative launched in early 2024 that will play a crucial role in Europe’s hydrogen future.
The SEEHyC Corridor, spanning 3,132 kilometres, will connect hydrogen production centres in the Balkan countries and potentially regions of North Africa, Near and Middle East with high-demand clusters in South and Central Europe, primarily South Germany. The corridor will have an initial transport capacity of 80 GWh/day (3.3 GWh/h) and is planned to be operational by the end of 2029. After implementation, this project will enable significant carbon dioxide savings per year.
Partnership of Eight European TSOs
The project brings together DESFA (Greece), Bulgartransgaz (Bulgaria), Transgaz (Romania), FGSZ (Hungary), EUSTREAM (Slovakia), NET4GAS (Czech Republic), OGE and naTran Deutschland (Germany) in a collaborative effort to establish this vital hydrogen transportation route. All partners have applied for Project of Common Interest (PCI) status to secure the necessary support for implementation.
Strategic Importance
The SEEHyC represents a vital element of the REPowerEU strategy and aligns perfectly with the European Hydrogen Backbone vision as one of its five key hydrogen transport corridors. The initiative addresses the significant projected hydrogen demand in Germany, which is expected to reach up to 130 TWh by 2030 and over 500 TWh by 2050.
A key strength of the SEEHyC is its ability to offer diverse hydrogen supply sources from the Balkan countries and the North Africa, Near and Middle East regions providing energy security and supply diversification to South and Central European markets.
Cost-Efficient Implementation
The corridor will primarily consist of newly built hydrogen pipelines, complemented by repurposed existing gas infrastructure. The total capital expenditure for the corridor is estimated at € 6,792 million (± 26 %), which is at the lower end of CAPEX range according to the EHB (European Hydrogen Backbone) benchmark.
Future Stakeholder Engagement
The consortium recognizes that the development of the entire hydrogen value chain is necessary for the corridor’s success. Addressing stakeholders along this value chain – from producers to end-users – is an important next step.
Contact:
Contact – South-East European Hydrogen Corridor initiative
Note: This press release contains forward-looking statements about the South-East European Hydrogen Corridor initiative. The actual timeline and implementation details may be subject to change based on regulatory developments and other factors.