Officials from Italy, Germany, and Austria have signed a declaration of intent in Brussels to accelerate the development of the Southern Corridor for importing hydrogen from Africa to Europe.
Designated as a Project of Common Interest (PCI) at the European level, the Southern Corridor is set to be one of five networks instrumental in achieving the goal of importing 10 million tonnes of green hydrogen into Europe by 2030.
This trilateral partnership aims to enhance energy security for the main industrial hubs of the involved countries while supporting the European Union’s climate objectives.
The four main infrastructures of the Corridor will be managed by respective transmission system operators: Snam in Italy, TAG (Trans Austria Gasleitung) and GCA (Gas Connect Austria) in Austria, and Bayernets in Germany. These operators will coordinate the project’s development.
The complete infrastructure, approximately 3,300 km long, will primarily (70%) consist of networks converted to accommodate hydrogen. Forecasts indicate that the entire network will be operational by 2030, with an import capacity of 4 million tonnes per year from North Africa.
Gilberto Pichetto, the Italian Minister of the Environment and Energy Security, stated, “This is an important initiative for our countries, for Europe, and for Africa. Developing the clean energy potential of the African continent and connecting it to Europe, promoting growth and security on both shores of the Mediterranean, is among the priorities of the Italian government.”
The ceremony was attended by ministers and senior officials from the three countries and the European Energy Commissioner, Kadri Simson.