The production and use of hydrogen on a large scale in Europe will require the development of an EU-wide hydrogen cross-border infrastructure network. There is currently very limited dedicated infrastructure in place to transport hydrogen across borders or to create hydrogen valleys. Such infrastructure will consist to some extent of assets converted from natural gas networks, complemented by new assets dedicated to hydrogen. Therefore, the Trans-European Energy Networks policy includes as of 2022, new and repurposed hydrogen transmission infrastructure, reception terminals and storage facilities as well as electrolysers.
As of 2025, CINEA is funding feasibility, engineering, environmental and commercial studies for the development of repurposed and new hydrogen networks, including transmission pipelines, ammonia reception terminals, storage facilities and electrolysers with a network-related function, providing overall system flexibility and efficiency to the electricity and hydrogen networks. With the market maturing, it is expected that CINEA will be channelling its funds into projects that focus on the construction of infrastructure.
Project examples
The objective of the H2Med-BarMar hydrogen interconnector is to develop an offshore renewable hydrogen pipeline linking Barcelona (Spain) and Marseille (France), a compressor station in Barcelona and a tie-in point in Fos-sur-Mer (Marseille). The CEF-E funded project includes technical, financial, environmental and permitting studies as well as an economic assessment featuring a market test, a cost-benefit analysis (CBA), a business plan and a proposal of cross-border cost allocation (CBCA).
EU contribution: € 28 336 978
Funding programme: Connecting Europe Facility - Energy
Lead: NaTran (FR)
The project contributes to the implementation of the ammonia reception facility “Amplifhy Antwerp”, which aims at developing a first-of-its-kind ammonia import terminal and ammonia cracker in the port of Antwerp with a storage capacity of 40,000 – 80,000 tons and an ammonia cracker with a capacity of up to 140,000 tons of hydrogen per year. The project includes technical (pre-FEED and FEED) studies, permitting, regulatory and economic analyses to assess the overall feasibility and viability of the ammonia import terminal.
EU contribution: € 8 060 000
Funding programme: Connecting Europe Facility - Energy
Lead: VTTI Terminal Support Services BV (BE)
The project contributes to the implementation of the HØST Power-to-X (PtX) project located in Esbjerg (Denmark) which aims to establish an electrolyser plant with up to 1 GW installed electrolyser capacity to generate approx. 120,000 tonnes of green hydrogen per year. The project scope covers FEED and other technical studies to provide estimates for the investment cost and mature the PCI towards a Final Investment Decision (FID).
EU contribution: € 12 987 437
Funding programme: Connecting Europe Facility - Energy
Lead: CI ETF I HOEST P/S (DK)
The project aims to develop an underground hydrogen storage facility in a new salt cavern and dedicated surface facilities, which will be connected to the H2 network of Gasunie running from the Netherlands to Denmark via Germany. The project includes studies for subsurface engineering, surface engineering and infrastructure, leaching plant engineering, as well as permitting and stakeholder management, and risk, HSE and quality management.
EU contribution: € 4 471 750.50
Funding programme: Connecting Europe Facility - Energy
Lead: Storengy Deutschland GMBh (DE)
The project aims at establishing a hydrogen pipeline system in Italy (Italian H2 backbone) allowing to connect North Africa with Europe, allowing H2 imports of up to 4.4 Mt/y via Sicily and exports up to 1.7 Mt/y to Austria. The PCI includes approx. 1920 km of pipelines (more than 60% repurposed) and several hundred MW of compression capacity. The project covers feasibility, environmental studies and field activities for new and converted pipelines, as well as compressor stations.
EU contribution: € 24 000 000
Funding programme: Connecting Europe Facility - Energy
Lead: Snam Rete Gas SPA (IT)
The project contributes to the creation of the Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor (NBHC) connecting Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Germany, consisting of approx. 2492 km of dedicated hydrogen pipelines with a transmission capacity of up to 2.7 Mt/y of H2. The project covers technical feasibility studies, pre-engineering, routing, environmental and permitting assessments, as well as market and commercial business case analyses, a cost-benefit analysis (CBA) and stakeholder engagement.
EU contribution: € 6 807 648
Funding programme: Connecting Europe Facility - Energy
Lead: Gasgrid Vetyverkot Oy (FI)