H2med – Connecting Europe with Green Hydrogen

H2med – Europe’s first major green hydrogen corridor - explained simply

The ramp-up of hydrogen in Europe is no longer a distant future topic. With H2med, an infrastructure project is taking shape that could fundamentally shape how green hydrogen is produced, transported, and used across Europe.

For the #WOCHE DES WASSERSTOFFS (#WDW – week of hydrogen), H2med is above all one thing: a project worth knowing in order to better understand current developments.

What is H2med?

H2med is a planned cross-border hydrogen corridor designed to transport renewable hydrogen from the Iberian Peninsula to Central Europe. Spain, Portugal, and France are involved, with connections to the wider German core network.

The aim is to make large potentials for green hydrogen—particularly from solar and wind energy—available to the European market while at the same time building a long-term, climate-friendly energy infrastructure.

BRIEFLY EXPLAINED: What is a hydrogen corridor?

A hydrogen corridor is a continuous infrastructure network consisting of pipelines, storage facilities, and transfer points that allows large quantities of hydrogen to be transported across national borders. It is comparable to today’s natural gas networks—though designed for a climate-neutral energy system.

The planned corridor: Iberian Peninsula – France – Europe

H2med consists of several sub-projects. Publicly known components already include:

• a connection between Portugal and Spain – CelZa (Celorico da Baeira – Zamora)

• and a new submarine pipeline between Spain and France – BarMar (Barcelona – Marseille)

These axes are intended to form the backbone of a central European hydrogen transport route and connect the hydrogen networks of the four participating countries.

Important: H2med is designed as a dedicated hydrogen project—not as a natural gas pipeline to be repurposed later.

All 3 images: 24 September 2025 – Berlin – H2med Alliance (networking event)

Why is H2med relevant for Europe?

H2med addresses several strategic objectives at the same time:

• Climate protection: Green hydrogen is a key building block for decarbonising energy-intensive industries.

• Security of supply: Europe reduces its long-term dependence on fossil energy imports.

• European integration: Shared infrastructure strengthens the European internal energy market.

• Scaling: Large-scale projects like H2med create the conditions for industrial volumes.

At EU level, the project is classified as a so-called Project of Common Interest (PCI) and receives political support, including from the European Union.

BRIEFLY EXPLAINED: Green hydrogen – why location matters

Green hydrogen is produced by electrolysis of water. The decisive factor is electricity: the cheaper and more renewable it is, the more climate-friendly and economically viable the hydrogen becomes. Regions with high levels of sun and wind therefore play a key role.

Current status – what is already confirmed?

Publicly confirmed elements include:

• political agreements between the participating countries,

• the strategic classification as a European infrastructure project, and

• the fundamental focus on green hydrogen.

Details regarding timelines, capacities, or final investment decisions are subject to ongoing coordination and are being published step by step. For the #WDW, the guiding principle therefore applies: classification instead of speculation.

Why it makes sense to know about H2med

H2med is emblematic of the next stage in the development of the hydrogen economy: moving away from pilot projects towards European-scale infrastructure. For companies, municipalities, research, politics, and civil society, knowledge of such projects is essential in order to realistically assess debates, opportunities, and challenges.

H2med alone will not answer all questions of the energy transition—but it clearly demonstrates how seriously Europe is pursuing the build-up of a hydrogen economy.

Get Informed Now

Further information on the project, the partners involved, and official background details can be found on the project website.

We, the #WDW team, believe that anyone involved in hydrogen should be familiar with infrastructure projects such as H2med. Not to judge them as good or bad, but to understand the bigger picture and be able to participate in discussions in an informed manner. That is exactly what #WDW stands for.

H2med will be exhibiting at E-world energy & water, taking place from 10 to 12 February in Essen—a good opportunity to gain deeper insights on site. Visit stand 6H131 in hall 6.

If you are interested in a free trade fair ticket for E-world, please contact us at hallo@woche-des-wasserstoffs.de.

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This article was written in close collaboration with Nina-Maria Haupt, OGE, and the communications working group of the participating partners. Thank you for your commitment and excellent cooperation. Click here for the German blog post.

The image rights for the photos and graphics used are held by H2med.