Italy to present hydrogen corridor plan in autumn, may involve Switzerland

Italy will host an event in the autumn to present a network to transport hydrogen from the southern Mediterranean to northern Europe, its energy minister told Reuters on Wednesday (24 July), saying Switzerland could also be involved.

The so-called SouthH2 Corridor would connect North Africa, Italy, Austria and Germany, allowing renewable hydrogen produced in the Southern Mediterranean to reach European industries.

The project, which involves a group of companies including Italian gas grid operator Snam, won priority status from the European Commission last year.

“We are moving forward, in the autumn we will have an official moment in Rome for the presentation,” Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin told Reuters after a question time session at the Italian lower house of parliament.

Europe is attempting to kick start the production and import of renewable hydrogen – a fuel manufactured using renewable electricity – which countries are betting on to cut fossil fuel use in industrial processes such as steel-making.

“We are planning a hydrogen transport through Austria, hooking up Switzerland, and into Germany,” Pichetto said.

Trans Austria Gasleitung (TAG), Gas Connect Austria (GCA) and bayernets in Germany are working with Snam to develop the 3,300-km project.

With a hydrogen import capacity of more than 4 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) from North Africa, the pipeline could deliver 40% of the European Union’s hydrogen import target set for 2030, and could be operational by as early as that year.

The plan was officially announced in May when energy ministers from Italy, Austria and Germany signed a cooperation agreement as part of an EU strategy to decarbonise its industry.

Pichetto said pipeline connections already in place with Libya and Tunisia could be part of the corridor, adding another option would be to convert the green fuel into ammonia and ship it to Europe.

Last year sources told Reuters Italy was in preliminary talks with Bavaria’s government to supply gas and hydrogen to the southern German state.

“In Germany, it is clear that the first place we arrive … is Bavaria,” Pichetto said.

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