Energy Ministries of Germany, Austria and Italy sign joint letter of support for the development of the SoutH2 Corridor

Vienna, 9. May: The Energy Ministries of Austria, Germany and Italy today signed a joint letter of support for the development of a "Southern Hydrogen Corridor" in the European Union. The associated infrastructure projects will thus be supported in obtaining the status of a project of common interest (PCI). The transmission system operators (TSOs) Snam in Italy, Trans Austria Gasleitung (TAG) and Gas Connect Austria (GCA) in Austria as well as bayernets in Germany welcome this important political step.

The Southern Hydrogen Corridor "SoutH2-Corridor" is 3,300 km long and is being developed by four major European transmission system operators: Snam, TAG, GCA and bayernets. The corridor connects North Africa, Italy, Austria and Germany and will thus supply important European demand clusters with competitive renewable hydrogen from the southern Mediterranean region.

SoutH2Corridor covers more than 40% of the REPowerEU import target

With a hydrogen import capacity of more than 4 million tonnes per year from North Africa, the corridor could meet 40% of the REPowerEU import target. The initiative focuses on the use of existing natural gas infrastructure converted to hydrogen transport, possibly including additional new constructions. A high share of converted existing pipelines (more than 70%) enables cost-effective transport, while access to low-cost renewable hydrogen production sites (wind and solar) in North Africa is beneficial for industries with difficult-to-avoid emissions.

The development of the SoutH2 corridor, which is part of an interconnected and diversified European "hydrogen backbone", will also contribute significantly to security of supply. The SoutH2 corridor, which is expected to be fully operational as early as 2030, consists of the following individual PCI project candidates:


Each TSO individually submitted applications for projects of common interest (PCI) under the TEN-E Regulation to the EU Commission in December 2022. The projects "H2 Backbone WAG + Penta West" by Gas Connect Austria and "H2 Readiness of the TAG pipeline system" by Trans Austria Gasleitung GmbH are strategically valuable investments in Austria's energy future, which can be realised with the existing gas infrastructure. However, in order for the project to be realised, a lot of public support is still needed.

You can find continuously updated information on the initiative at www.south2corridor.net.




For further information please contact:

Gas Connect Austria GmbH
Tel. +43 (1) 27500-88052
E-Mail: publicrelations@gasconnect.at

Trans Austria Gasleitung GmbH
E-Mail: public.affairs@taggmbh.at


About Gas Connect Austria GmbH:
Gas Connect Austria is a gas transmission and distribution network operator based in Vienna. The company has 280 employees and 6 locations in Vienna, Lower Austria and Upper Austria. Starting from the Baumgarten hub, Gas Connect Austria operates a modern and efficient high-pressure network with connections to Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary as well as to storage and production facilities. Along the 900 km pipeline system there are 5 compressor stations, 56 metering and transfer stations and over 100 transfer metering points. Its core business is the marketing of transport capacities at international border points and for domestic gas supply. Gas Connect Austria is intensively involved in energy transition issues at national and European level and is actively working on solutions for decarbonisation. VERBUND owns 51% of the company, while Allianz Capital Partners and SNAM hold 49% in a 60:40 ratio. Gas Connect Austria holds stakes in AGGM, AGCS, TAG GmbH and PRISMA and is a member of ENTSOG, GIE, Hydrogen Europe, Clean Hydrogen Alliance and the European Hydrogen Backbone Initiative.


About Trans Austria Gasleitung GmbH:
Trans Austria Gasleitung GmbH is a transmission system operator in Austria. Its pipeline system connects Baumgarten in Austria with Tarvisio in Italy over a distance of 380 km. The TAG pipeline network consists of about 1,140 km of high-pressure gas pipelines from the Slovak-Austrian to the Austrian-Italian border. Gas can be transported from Austria to Italy ("flow direction") as well as from Italy to Austria ("reverse flow direction") within the technical limits of the TAG pipeline system. Along the route in Austria, the gas pipeline also supplies natural gas for the provinces of Lower Austria, Styria and Carinthia as well as for transport to Slovenia via the SOL pipeline.
The shareholders of Trans Austria Gasleitung GmbH are the Italian company Snam S.p.A. with a share of 84.47% and the Austrian Gas Connect Austria GmbH with a share of 15.53%. Trans Austria Gasleitung GmbH is a co-owner of PRISMA and is a member of ENTSOG, GIE, European Clean Hydrogen Alliance and the European Hydrogen Backbone Initiative.