The H2med Alliance held the ‘H2med Alliance: Building the European Hydrogen Market’ event at the Enagás Corporate University (UCE) in Madrid. The event brought together producers, consumers, infrastructure operators, and other stakeholders in the value chain to analyse the necessary conditions to foster a competitive European hydrogen market.

Estimations from H2med partners show that transport would represent a minor portion of the total cost of supplying renewable hydrogen in Europe. This analysis reinforces the strategic role of infrastructure in connecting the regions with the greatest potential for competitive renewable hydrogen production, located specially in southwestern Europe, with the main consumption hubs in Central Europe. Transporting hydrogen through the Spanish backbone network to the Franco-German border would have an estimated cost of between €0.6 and €1 per kilogram, depending on the assumptions and conditions considered. Applicable tariffs remain subject to regulatory definition and assessment.  

Enagás CEO Arturo Gonzalo emphasized during the opening of the meeting that “Europe needs to strengthen its strategic autonomy and competitiveness. Renewable hydrogen is not just a tool for advancing decarbonization, but also a key driver for improving security of supply and reducing energy dependence. H2med embodies this European vision by connecting the Iberian Peninsula's exceptional renewable potential with Europe's main industrial centres and contributing to a more integrated, resilient and efficient energy market”.

The Call for Interest launched in 2025 in Spain, France, Portugal, and Germany registered 528 projects from 168 companies interested in using the H2med corridor infrastructure. This expression of interest aimed to identify the needs of the regions along the corridor, and more specifically, the needs of the national hydrogen grids linked to the corridor, whose implementation is planned for 2032.

Dialogue with industry to boost the market

One of the main objectives of the event was to facilitate the exchange of knowledge among the various stakeholders in the value chain. It included a Keynote speech by Daniel Fraile, Director of Policy & Regulation of Hydrogen Europe, two panels about the regulatory impacts on the hydrogen market and the competitivity of renewable hydrogen in the Iberian Peninsula, respectively, and a workshop focused on the production profiles to meet the consumers’ needs.

The conclusions of these sessions will help guide the Alliance's work and identify measures that foster a reliable, competitive market capable of mobilizing investment in hydrogen production, infrastructure, storage, and consumption.

Progress on the H2med Corridor

The event provided an opportunity to share the latest developments on the H2med corridor and its associated infrastructure in Portugal, Spain, France, and Germany. Cross-border infrastructure will be essential for creating an integrated European market and enabling industry to access hydrogen where production is most competitive.

The project will connect production centres in southwestern Europe with the main industrial consumption areas in central and northern Europe through the CelZa interconnection between Portugal and Spain, the BarMar route between Spain and France, and the national networks linked to the corridor, contributing to the development of an integrated European value chain.

During the meeting, progress on the technical, environmental, and engineering studies for the various infrastructure projects, the public participation and administrative processes.

This work allows for the continued development of the corridor in accordance with market needs and in dialogue with the local territories.

One year after its launch in Berlin, the Alliance has 53 members and eight collaborating entities, consolidating itself as a platform for collaboration between companies, institutions and infrastructure operators to accelerate the development of an integrated European hydrogen market and contribute to Europe's competitiveness, decarbonization and energy security objectives.