Algeria, Tunisia, Italy, Germany, Austria Sign Declaration of Intent on SoutH2

Steps forward to the creation of the SoutH₂ Hydrogen Corridor, a project in which Italy is the protagonist and which includes an infrastructure of more than 3,000 kilometers designed to transport hydrogen from North Africa to Austria, Germany, and on to Europe.

On January 21, the ministers of Tunisia, Algeria, Italy, Germany, and Austria met at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rome. On this occasion, these countries signed a declaration of intent for the corridor, stating their intention to continue working on its development.

The project, signed in May 2024 by the three European countries mentioned, envisages that 70% of the route will use existing gas transportation infrastructure adapted to transport green hydrogen to be produced in North Africa. The project managers are the Italian company SNAM, the Austrian TAG and GCA, and the German Bayernets. The infrastructure, which is scheduled to be operational by early 2030, will have a capacity of 4 million tons per year, which, according to Italian news agency AGI, will ensure 40% of the REPowerEU plan’s goals are met.

“This is a meeting of historic importance,” commented Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, who is promoting a project aimed at turning Italy into a hydrogen hub. “An agreement that, in the spirit of the Italian government’s Mattei plan and in the name of European cooperation and our neighboring friends, strengthens ties between the two shores of the Mediterranean Sea.” The minister explained that there is also the possibility of expanding the project to Libya.