The large-scale deployment of low-emission hydrogen will need to be underpinned by an effective and cost-efficient system for transmission and storage, strategically designed to connect supply

sources to demand centres. Based on the current targets set by Northwest European countries, the region’s hydrogen network could increase by almost eight-fold to over 12 000 km by 2030. According to first estimates, close to two-thirds of the hydrogen pipelines operational by 2030 would be repurposed natural gas pipelines –providing a second life to the existing gas infrastructure.

Similarly to well-designed pipeline network, underground storage will be crucial to reach the full potential of hydrogen as an energy carrier and respond to the flexibility requirements of a more complex energy system. While hydrogen storage in salt caverns is a proven technology, the experience in storing hydrogen in porous reservoirs such as depleted fields or aquifers is limited.