The European Union is funding the preparatory work for the Baltic Sea Hydrogen Collector (BHC) project with 15.3 million euros. The funds come from the "Connecting Europe Facility" (CEF) program and are to be used for studies and planning for the development of a cross-border hydrogen pipeline between Finland and Germany.
The project is supported by Gasgrid Finland, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), and Gascade Gastransport. The goal is to establish an offshore pipeline that can transport renewable hydrogen from Finland to Central Europe. The BHC is classified as a "Project of Common Interest" (PCI) and is therefore considered a strategically relevant project for European energy infrastructure.
In the current phase, regulatory, technical, and commercial frameworks are being examined. The studies include a so-called Pre-FEED analysis (Pre-Front-End Engineering Design), which evaluates possible routes and connection points between Finland and Germany. A later expansion to Sweden is being examined together with the partner Nordion Energi.
The German section of the project has already been included in the officially approved hydrogen core network. Gascade is involved in its development. "Finland has excellent conditions for large-scale wind energy, the production of renewable hydrogen, and the development of a hydrogen value chain," says Sara Kärki, Senior Vice President of Hydrogen Development at Gasgrid. The BHC concept offers the opportunity to unlock this potential and create new growth opportunities for the Finnish industry.
Thomas Dalsgaard, CEO of CIP, emphasizes: "Given the strong and cost-efficient energy resources in the Nordic and Baltic countries and the growing demand in Central Europe, this is a project with great potential."
Gascade Managing Director Christoph von dem Bussche also highlights the importance of the project: "The financial support from the EU and the collaboration with our partners underscore how important it is to explore various infrastructure options for Europe's hydrogen future."
Gascade operates a high-pressure gas pipeline network of around 3,700 kilometers in Germany and plans to gradually convert it to hydrogen transport. The company is involved in several on- and offshore hydrogen projects.
