Hydrogen | European Transport Corridors

Posted By: EN Todayon: December 19, 2023In:

The EUParliament and Council negotiators agreed last night (18 December) on updated guidelines for the Trans-European network for transport (TEN-T). These will define and ensure completion of the main segments of the EU network for all modes of transport.

H2Europe welcomes the agreement as another necessary step towards stimulating Europe’s hydrogen end-uses in mobility.

🏙 The TEN-T text confirms the new definition of urbannode as having a population of 100,000 or more, thus increasing the number of urban nodes from 82 to 430. This will increase the number of hydrogen refuelling stations HRS) across Europe as each urban node shall have one, but also gives urban nodes access to CEF Transport and AFIF funding mechanisms to support their deployment.

maritime sector: the document recognises the role of ports in the supply of energy by including ports of between 500,000 and 1 million tonnes of cargo on the comprehensive network as long as “its contribution to the diversification of EU energy supplies […] is one of the main activities of the port”. This recognition is reiterated in the recital where production of greenhydrogen is clearly stated as a contribution.
railways: the exemptions to electrification for specific routes connecting multimodal freight terminals in ports, airports, as well as for isolated networks opens the possibility of running hydrogentrains on the European network. This proves particularly useful when geographical constraints make electrification less economically or technically viable, whilst still providing an alternative to diesel trains.

We would like to congratulate co-legislators on securing a deal on the TEN-T guidelines before the end of the mandate, providing more certainty for a sustainable completion of the core network by 2030 via alternativefuels and for targets in other legislations linked to TEN-T such as AFIR and FuelEUMaritime.

Hydrogen Transport