Estonia's hydrogen infrastructure survey
Elering invites potential hydrogen producers and consumers to share their plans through an Estonia's hydrogen infrastructure Survey.
The open questionnaire was created to gather information on Estonian hydrogen projects and to give all interested parties an opportunity to inform Elering about their plans on an equal basis.
Elering, the current electricity and natural gas system operator, is planning a regional hydrogen pipeline with other system operators around the Baltic Sea, which would also pass through mainland Estonia. The cross-border hydrogen pipeline project, the Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor, will run through six countries bordering the Baltic Sea, from Finland to Germany. The project is included in the list of European Priority Cross-border Projects (PCI list) and has been granted 50% co-funding from the European CEF fund for conducting feasibility studies.
Elering plans to use the information collected through the questionnaire to create a vision for Estonia's hydrogen infrastructure and as input for the ongoing feasibility analyses of the Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor.
The information collected is, for example, a valuable input for planning the Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor (the "Estonian hydrogen core network"), which would run through mainland Estonia. In addition, the responses may reveal the need for potential branch connections in the future if hydrogen production or consumption is planned farther from the core network, such as in Eastern Estonia or on Saaremaa.
It is important to note that final decisions on hydrogen pipeline routes in Estonia will not be made based on the questionnaire's responses. These will only be determined during the National Designated Spatial Planning procedures, should they be initiated.
By completing the questionnaire, hydrogen project developers can provide their input into the development of Estonia's hydrogen infrastructure, helping Elering consider the plans of Estonian hydrogen companies when planning the country's energy system.
Through the questionnaire, Elering is specifically interested in:
- What kind of hydrogen production and consumption projects are being planned.
- Where the hydrogen projects are planned to be located.
- What is the desired volume of hydrogen to be consumed or produced.
- What is the timeline for when the planned projects are expected to be completed.
- What is the origin of electricity planned for hydrogen production.
- What is the purpose of hydrogen consumption.
- Whether participants wish to engage in the electricity market with their hydrogen production or consumption and, in doing so, are willing to help ensure the security of supply for the electricity system.
Elering awaits input from future hydrogen producers and consumers until the end of October this year (2025).
Estonia's Hydrogen Infrastructure Development - Market Survey