The Spanish Hydrogen Backbone is a proposed national infrastructure plan for transporting renewable hydrogen across Spain through a dedicated pipeline network. It forms a central pillar of Spain’s strategy to become a major hydrogen producer and exporter in Europe, leveraging the country’s abundant solar and wind energy resources.
This backbone is part of the broader European Hydrogen Backbone (EHB) vision and is designed to integrate domestic hydrogen production, connect industrial hubs, and enable cross-border exports—most notably through the H2MED corridor toward France and the rest of Europe.
What is the Spanish Hydrogen Backbone?
The Spanish Hydrogen Backbone refers to a dedicated hydrogen transmission network that will span key regions of Spain, linking:
- Major renewable hydrogen production zones (especially in southern and central Spain),
- Industrial consumption centers (such as in Madrid, Valencia, Zaragoza, and the Basque Country),
- Ports and export points (such as Barcelona and Bilbao), and
- Cross-border corridors (through connections to Portugal and France).
The network will include new pipelines built exclusively for hydrogen transport, as well as repurposed natural gas infrastructure, where technically and economically feasible.
It is led primarily by Enagás, Spain’s national gas system operator, and developed in collaboration with European and Iberian partners to ensure interoperability and scalability.
Objectives and Role in the Energy Transition
The Spanish Hydrogen Backbone is central to Spain’s Hydrogen Roadmap 2030, and supports the objectives of:
- Producing up to 4 GW of installed electrolysis capacity by 2030 (as outlined in the Spanish National Energy and Climate Plan – NECP),
- Facilitating domestic hydrogen demand in transport, industry, and energy storage,
- Contributing to EU-wide goals to import and produce 20 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen annually by 2030 (per the REPowerEU plan),
- Enabling Spain to serve as a clean energy hub for southern Europe.
In addition to decarbonizing national industries, the backbone will position Spain as a green hydrogen exporter, especially through the BarMar subsea pipeline, part of the H2MED project.
Key Features
While still in planning and development stages, the Spanish Hydrogen Backbone is expected to include:
- Over 3,000 km of hydrogen pipelines by 2030.
- A phased rollout beginning with regions of high renewable generation and industrial activity.
- Integration with hydrogen valleys, clusters that include production, consumption, and storage assets.
- Underground storage facilities for seasonal balancing and grid support.
- Interconnection with Portugal (west), France (northeast), and other European networks.
Enagás submitted the backbone as part of the Project of Common Interest (PCI) list in the EU and is working with partners such as REN (Portugal) and GRTgaz (France).
Benefits of the Spanish Hydrogen Backbone
The national hydrogen backbone brings strategic, environmental, and economic advantages:
- Accelerates decarbonization of heavy industry and transport by enabling the use of renewable hydrogen at scale.
- Unlocks investment opportunities in green energy production, infrastructure, and innovation.
- Enhances energy security by reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels and diversifying the energy mix.
- Supports regional development in areas rich in renewable resources, especially rural zones.
- Boosts Spain’s competitiveness as a clean energy leader in Europe.
- Enables cross-border hydrogen trade, aligning with the EU’s push for an integrated hydrogen market.
Challenges and Considerations
While promising, the project also faces several challenges:
- High capital investment: Building a new hydrogen pipeline network requires substantial financial resources and long-term commitment.
- Regulatory harmonization: Coordinating policies, tariffs, and standards across regions and borders is essential for efficient operation.
- Public acceptance and permitting: Infrastructure development must comply with environmental regulations and gain social support.
- Hydrogen supply and demand balance: The network’s viability depends on the alignment of renewable hydrogen production with actual industrial demand.
Despite these challenges, the project has strong institutional support from the Spanish government, the European Commission, and private sector stakeholders.
