The Spanish gas transmission system operator Enagás, the French gas transmission system operators GRTgaz and Teréga, and the Portuguese gas transmission system operator REN have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to formalize their commitment to collaborate in a coordinated manner in the joint development of H2MED, following the mandate given by the governments of the three countries at the Euromed Summit. The objective of this partnership is to make the infrastructure operational from 2030.
On October 20, 2022, the President of the Spanish Government, the President of the French Republic and the Portuguese Prime Minister decided to accelerate the development of energy interconnections and to create a green energy corridor linking Portugal, Spain and the France to the energy network of the European Union. They also agreed on the development of a hydrogen interconnection between Portugal and Spain (Celórico-Zamora) as well as the development of a maritime gas pipeline linking Spain and France (Barcelona-Marseille) in order to transport renewable hydrogen from the Iberian Peninsula to Central Europe. The three leaders ratified this commitment at the Euromed summit on December 9, with the support of the President of the European Commission,
The 4 transmission system operators welcomed this decision very favorably. H2MED is an example of cooperation and multilateralism between neighboring countries with a common goal: the decarbonisation of Europe. They have been cooperating since October 20 to provide technical advice to their respective governments regarding the development of H2MED.
Enagás, GRTgaz, Teréga, and REN will also jointly submit these projects for the labeling of Projects of Common Interest (PCI) under the new regulation on trans-European energy networks.
The development of H2MED is the first pillar of the European Hydrogen Backbone, which aims to accelerate the decarbonisation of Europe by creating the hydrogen infrastructure necessary for the development of a hydrogen market. competitive, liquid and pan-European hydrogen. H2MED will accelerate the deployment of hydrogen in Europe and connect the Iberian Peninsula to France and Northern Europe.
Among the benefits of this project are industrial development, with a high level of innovation, the reduction of emissions and the development of renewable energies, as well as the creation of jobs and the promotion of a just transition.
H2MED will have the capacity to transport up to 2 million tons per year of renewable hydrogen, which represents 10% of the consumption expected in Europe in 2030, according to REPowerEU.
Source: GRTgaz
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