North Africa Emerges as Europe's Green Hydrogen Powerhouse with Ambitious Pipeline Projects
North Africa is rapidly consolidating its position as a cornerstone of Europe's ambitious clean energy strategy, with significant momentum building around the development of a vast green hydrogen pipeline network. This initiative, poised to reshape the global energy landscape, aims to leverage North Africa's abundant solar and wind resources to produce clean hydrogen for Europe's industrial heartlands.
The SoutH2 Corridor: A Game-Changer in Green Energy
At the forefront of this transformative effort is the SoutH2 Corridor, a monumental 3,300-kilometer pipeline project set to connect hydrogen production centers in Algeria and Tunisia to consumer hubs in Italy, Austria, and Germany. This project gained significant traction after its inclusion in the European Commission's first Projects of Common Interest (PCIs) list under the revised Trans-European Network for Energy (TEN-E) Regulation.
Spearheaded by Transmission System Operators (TSOs) Snam (Italy), Trans Austria Gasleitung (TAG), Gas Connect Austria (GCA), and Bayernets (Germany), the SoutH2 Corridor is envisioned to deliver an impressive up to four million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of renewable hydrogen to Europe. This volume could potentially supply over 40% of the European Union's 2030 hydrogen import target.
A key aspect of the project's feasibility and rapid deployment is the plan to repurpose more than 65% of existing natural gas infrastructure for hydrogen transport, significantly reducing construction costs and accelerating the timeline. Storage facilities along the route are also expected to bolster the security of supply.
Political Endorsement and Collaborative Efforts
The SoutH2 Corridor enjoys strong political endorsement, with Austria, Italy, Germany, Tunisia, and Algeria having signed a ministerial Joint Declaration of Political Intent on its development in January 2025. This high-level commitment underscores the mutual strategic interest for both the EU and its North African partners, addressing critical challenges of energy transition and fostering regional investments.
Feasibility studies by transmission operators are already underway, and the development of initial hydrogen production projects is progressing in Tunisia and Algeria. This collaborative effort is part of the broader European Hydrogen Backbone (EHB) initiative, which envisions Europe having 11,600km of hydrogen pipelines by 2030 and almost 40,000km by 2040.
Challenges and Outlook
Despite the ambitious vision, experts acknowledge challenges. While the pipeline is set to have the capacity to import 4 million tonnes of hydrogen per year into the EU by 2030, Algeria and Tunisia's current forecasts for combined export capacity by then are around 330,000 tonnes – approximately 8% of the pipeline's full capacity. This highlights the need for substantial investment in green hydrogen production facilities in North Africa to meet the projected demand.
However, the sheer potential is undeniable. North African nations, with their vast, consistently sun-drenched deserts and strong winds, possess a significant competitive edge in producing cost-competitive green hydrogen. International bodies like IRENA (International Renewable Energy Agency) have published reports in 2025 focusing on "Enabling green hydrogen development: North Africa," emphasizing the region's crucial role.
As global efforts intensify to decarbonize energy systems, the hydrogen corridor initiative stands as a testament to North Africa's critical role in facilitating Europe's clean energy transition, promising not only energy security for Europe but also significant economic opportunities and job creation within the North African region.
