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Finnish and Swedish gas transmission system operators (TSOs) Gasgrid Finland and Nordion Energi, and offshore wind development companies OKS2 and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) have entered into an agreement to explore the development of a large offshore hydrogen pipeline infrastructure connecting Finland, Sweden and Central Europe until 2030
The project, the so-called Baltic Sea Hydrogen Collector (BHC)includes the construction of marine pipelines that will connect mainland Finland and Sweden with the Finnish Åland Island and Germany by 2030.
The aim of the BHC project – which could also be connected to other energy islands in the region such as Gotland and Bornholm in Sweden and Denmark – is to unlock significant offshore wind potential in the Gulf of Bothnia and Baltic Sea regioncreating a booming hydrogen market and connecting supply and demand, according to a press release from Gasgrid.
The Finnish company also highlighted the goals of the Marienborg Declaration, signed in August, in which eight Baltic Sea countries committing to build seven times more offshore wind capacity than is currently installed in the Baltic Sea by 2030 as part of a common path to minimize dependence on Russian fossil fuels. They also officially recognized the further potential for offshore wind in the Baltic Sea basin, which is estimated to reach to 93 GV by 2040.
Furthermore, Gasgrid states that four companies agreed to jointly explore the possibility of building the BHC project taking concrete steps to realize the vision of the European Hydrogen Backbone (EHB).developed by 31 gas infrastructure companies in the Baltic Sea region.
“The EHB initiative aims to accelerate Europe’s decarbonisation path by defining the critical role of hydrogen infrastructure – based on existing and new pipelines – in enabling the development of a competitive, liquid, pan-European renewable and low-carbon hydrogen market”Gasgrid said.
This is where the BHC could play a key role, according to its developers, as it would create an efficient, harmonized and integrated hydrogen market in Europe.
The Baltic Sea Hydrogen Collector can give green hydrogen producers and users the confidence to invest in new hydrogen value chains and participate in supplying the growing demand for green H2 in Europe by creating a guaranteed path from production to use, according to BHC partners.
Offshore wind farm developers who have joined the BHC project, OKS2 and CIP, have big plans in the Baltic Sea.
OKS2 has a portfolio of 9 GVs in Sweden alone, where the investment arm of Ingka Group, the largest retailer in the IKEA franchise system, recently joined the projects.
In Finland, OKS2 received exploration permits for two offshore wind farms in the Gulf of Bothnia earlier this year.
A few months later, the company announced another multi-gigawatt project, together with Alandsbanken Fondbolag, south of the Åland Islands, where the two partners have already unveiled plans for a 250-turbine offshore wind development in 2021.
As for Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, the Danish developer entered into a 50/50 partnership with Ørsted earlier this year, agreeing to jointly develop four major offshore wind projects under an “open door” scheme in Denmark.
The projects are planned to include Power-to-X capabilities and to be built before or in parallel with projects selected in government tenders.
In September of this year, CIP confirmed that offshoreVIND.biz that it submitted an application for a gigawatt floating wind farm near the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea.
The project, which could also include Power-to-X (green hydrogen) capabilities, would be the first and largest wind farm of its kind in Denmark, if approved to be built by 2027.
On December 16, Gasgrid pointed out that there is significant potential for the production and use of hydrogen in the countries surrounding the Baltic Sea, as well as for the development of offshore wind and hydrogen production, as the Baltic Sea region has excellent conditions for onshore and offshore wind energy production.
“With strategic investments in infrastructure, renewable energy and hydrogen production, up to 55% of the clean hydrogen target defined in the REPoverEU plan can be produced in the region, while supporting innovative decarbonisation projects within each country, as well as helping the EU meet its overall targets”Gasgrid said.
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