Our work

Since its founding in 2020, the European Hydrogen Backbone (EHB) initiative has contributed to the development of a European hydrogen market through the publications of its flagship EHB maps, with a vision of a pan-European hydrogen transport infrastructure. These network maps demonstrate how this vision is both technically feasible and economically affordable, and sparked a debate on the role that a hydrogen network can play in the future European energy system.

The role of hydrogen in enabling climate neutrality is widely acknowledged, as is the need for hydrogen pipeline transport. Most recently, the essential role for hydrogen pipeline infrastructure in fostering market competition, security of supply, and security of demand was recognised in the European Commission’s hydrogen and decarbonised gas package, published in December 2021.

Following the release of the initial vision network in 2020, market participants across the hydrogen value chain have engaged and signalled interest. Market feedback frequently concerned the as yet long time periods required to realise the envisaged vision network. In view of accelerated national and European climate ambitions, first-mover market actors have called for the need to accelerate hydrogen infrastructure planning and development to support the feasibility, security, and affordability of their climate transition strategies.

In response to these market developments, this page presents the updated and extended EHB vision, now involving 31 gas infrastructure companies from 28 countries. It shows the latest proposed hydrogen infrastructure maps for 2030 and 2040 with a dedicated hydrogen pipeline transport network largely based on repurposed existing gas infrastructure. The corresponding report publication can be found here. https://gasforclimate2050.eu/n...

The accelerated EHB vision shows that by 2030 an initial 28,000 km pipeline network could emerge, connecting industrial clusters, ports, and hydrogen valleys – and laying the foundation for future large-scale hydrogen supply corridors. The hydrogen infrastructure can then grow to become a pan-European network, with a length of 53,000 km by 2040.

Further network development can be expected after 2040. In addition, the maps show possible additional routes that could emerge, including potential offshore interconnectors and pipelines in regions outside the area where the EHB members are active.