Nordic–Baltic hydrogen corridor project still in early stages
At the beginning of this year, the government launched a special national planning process to identify a suitable route in Estonia for hydrogen pipelines as part of a six‑country project. A consultant is still being sought; once selected, the planning and location assessment can begin.
According to Monika Korolkov, project manager for the national special plan at the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the project is extensive but important, and planning requires thorough studies, analyses and close cooperation with various stakeholders. She added that the project involves 24 municipalities, all of whom must be consulted during the planning process.
"We hope that if the procedure proceeds as planned, we can continue preparing the project according to the intended schedule," Korolkov said. The aim is to outline potential routes by next year so the ministry can present them to landowners.
There is also an idea on the table to build the corridor along the bottom of the Baltic Sea, creating a direct connection between Finland and Germany. Korolkov said work is being done to ensure the route also passes through Estonia.
"If the route comes over land, Estonia can serve as a link between the Nordic and Central European energy networks," Korolkov said. She added that this would strengthen energy security, bring new investments to Estonia and create conditions for developing a hydrogen economy. "If Finland decides it is more beneficial to build the route along the seabed, we will miss out on a great deal," she noted.
Siim Iimre, head of research and development at Elering, said the preferred approach is to use existing gas and electricity infrastructure to minimize the amount of new land needed.
"It is certainly a challenge that Estonia has dispersed settlement and many scenic areas and nature reserves," Iimre said. Because of this, it is difficult to find a corridor that would have minimal environmental impact or cause minimal disturbance.
Both Korolkov and Iimre stressed that building a hydrogen pipeline does not pose a danger to people or the environment. Iimre added that the main impact of an underground pipeline occurs only during construction. "As with building a natural‑gas pipeline, construction machinery will move around and excavation work will take place," he explained.
According to Elering, the project's progress depends both on the successful completion of Estonia's special planning process and on other countries staying on schedule.
Iimre said an investment decision could be made in early 2030, at which point it will be decided whether the infrastructure will be built. If approved, it could be completed by 2035.
He added that the project is necessary because around 80 companies have already expressed interest in producing or using hydrogen.
This week, the tender period for cooperation on the hydrogen corridor's national special plan concluded. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications will now review the bids, and a contract with the successful bidder will be signed no later than October.
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Editor: Merilin Leetna, Argo Ideon
