Gasgrid Finland and Nordion Energi have announced the launch of the Nordic Hydrogen Route, an initiative that aims to drive decarbonisation, support regional green industrialisation, economic development, and European energy independence.
By building up a cross-border hydrogen network in the Bothnian Bay region and an open hydrogen market by 2030, Nordic Hydrogen Route hopes to accelerate the creation of a hydrogen economy and new investments to support the European energy transition and increase access to green and competitive domestic energy.
The companies are seeking to develop a network of pipelines that would effectively transport energy from producers to consumers to ensure they have access to an open, reliable, and safe hydrogen market. An integrated energy infrastructure would connect customers across the region, from hydrogen and e-fuels producers to steelmakers, who are eager to create new value chains and products as well as to decarbonise their operations.
“Beyond catalysing regional economic growth and new industrial investments, the Nordic Hydrogen Route would contribute significantly towards Finland and Sweden’s ambitious climate neutrality goals. It would also enable Finland and Sweden to become leading producers of clean alternative fuels for the aviation and maritime industries by transporting hydrogen to new production sites,” says Olli Sipilä, CEO of Gasgrid Finland.
Regional demand for hydrogen is estimated to exceed 30 TWh by 2030, and be around 65 TWh by 2050, with much of this hydrogen expected to be produced using the plentiful onshore and offshore wind across the Bay. This production could enable the build-out of more than 20,000 MW of wind power capacity. The Nordic Hydrogen Route would connect production with demand sites via a pipeline following the Bothnian Bay coastline, with major branches to expected demand centres like Gällivare or Kiruna. The goal for the infrastructure is to be operational by 2030, with a final length of around 1000km. The concept will be developed together with stakeholders along the value chain.
“A functioning hydrogen market in Bothnian Bay will position the region as an attractive proposition for investment, stimulate green industrialisation, and create new jobs. It would also provide the Nordics with high reliability of energy supply,” says Hans Kreisel, CEO of Nordion Energi.
The Nordic Hydrogen Route acts on the growing consensus, reflected in recent EU policy frameworks, that hydrogen infrastructure planning needs to include integrated, cross–border connections between neighbouring countries to leverage the maximum decarbonisation potential.
