The Spanish government on Tuesday gave the go-ahead for the commencement of work on the H2Med pipeline project, a venture designed to link Barcelona and Marseille.
This pipeline is intended to supply northern Europe with green hydrogen produced on the Iberian Peninsula by 2030.
Enagas Authorized for Pipeline Development
Enagas, the operator of Spain’s gas network, has been “authorized” to carry out its “development functions” for several installations related to the “H2Med” project, according to a government statement.
This approval, granted by the Council of Ministers, encompasses “the construction, commissioning, monitoring, and maintenance of pipeline and underground storage projects” for hydrogen, the statement specifies.
Project Scope Includes Interconnections and Storage
The authorization notably covers an interconnection between Spain and Portugal, an interconnection between Spain and France (dubbed “BarMar,” a contraction of Barcelona-Marseille), and underground hydrogen storage facilities.
H2Med: A Key Project for Green Hydrogen Transport
The H2Med project, strongly championed by Madrid and Berlin, aims to transport so-called “green” hydrogen – produced using renewable electricity – to northern European countries via France.
This initiative replaced the “MidCat” project, launched in 2003 to connect the French and Spanish gas networks through the Pyrenees. MidCat was abandoned a few years later due to its lack of economic viability and opposition from environmental groups.
H2Med: A Project of Common Interest
H2Med has been declared a “Project of Common Interest” by Brussels. According to its designers, it will be capable of transporting nearly 10% of the hydrogen consumed in Europe by 2030, equivalent to almost two million tons per year.
The goal is to accelerate the decarbonization of European industry by providing access to clean energy produced on a large scale in Spain and Portugal, thanks to numerous wind and solar farms.
Challenges Ahead
However, this project faces several obstacles, particularly related to the nature of hydrogen. Hydrogen consists of small, aggressive molecules that are difficult to transport, raising doubts about the feasibility of meeting the established timeline for its completion.