EUSTREAM for Climate Neutrality

EUSTREAM supports the climate objectives defined in the Paris Agreement and the European Green Deal. We want to contribute responsibly towards making Europe the first climate neutral continent as soon as possible.

In addition to other measures, the solution also includes gradually increasing use of renewable and low-emission gases. We want to become a regional leader within this process, who will help start the development of a new hydrogen energy industry. In order to speed up necessary changes, we have already been investing into energy transformation projects.

Our plans are based on the advantageous situation of the Slovak transmission system consisting of several parallel gas pipelines with large diameters that interconnect the Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary and Poland. The modernized corridor of several parallel pipelines enables gradual development of hydrogen transportation concurrently with the traditional natural gas transportation.

EUSTREAM plans investments thanks to which we will be technologically ready to transport a mixture of natural gas with a maximum of 5% hydrogen in the coming years.

We plan to dedicate some of our parallel pipelines for transportation of pure hydrogen in the future, which will be part of the European Hydrogen Backbone with direct connections to neighbouring countries. To support this goal, we have developed the H2 Infrastructure – Transmission Repurpose (H2I-TR) project, with which we are applying for IPCEI status (IPCEI - Important Projects of Common European Interest).

Moreover, we have been planning production of green hydrogen from renewable resources, which will be used within the initial phase as a gas for compressor propulsion. The first pilot project of this kind has been prepared for the Veľké Kapušany compressor station with options for further extensions. We have been also working on other projects that focus on various low-emission gas production and transportation alternatives and cooperating within various projects for production and transportation of the hydrogen produced from natural gas with capture and storage of CO2 (CCS).

In energy transformation, we promote responsible solutions, which include maximising the decarbonisation potential of natural gas in the transition period. Until new green energy capacities are fully available, the correct policy is to replace the largest sources of pollution with natural gas, which is a less carbon-intensive alternative. The transition from coal to the right mix of natural gas and renewables is currently a quick and effective solution which, in addition to reducing greenhouse gases, helps to considerably improve air quality.

EUSTREAM is a partner in several international partnerships focusing on hydrogen development:

• European Hydrogen Backbone
• H2EU+Store, an international partnership focusing on production, transmission, storage and supply of green hydrogen among RAG Austria AG, Bayerngas GmbH, bayernets GmbH, Eco-Optima LLC, Open Grid Europe GmbH, Eustream, NAFTA a.s., Gas Connect Austria GmbH and MND a.s., with the intention to accelerate the market ramp-up of green hydrogen in Central Europe. The initiative is structured as an integrated project by looking at the entire value chain of the future hydrogen market (from production, transmission and storage and including the consumer market). The initiative is to be continuously expanded along the entire value chain in order to bundle forces, sources and knowhow for the desired hydrogen ramp-up.
• Central European Hydrogen Corridor, a joint initiative of transmission system operators from Germany (OGE), the Czech Republic (NET4GAS), Slovakia (Eustream) and Ukraine (Gas TSO of Ukraine), whose vision is to build a hydrogen "highway" through Central Europe that will be used to transport hydrogen from prospective production areas in Ukraine through Slovakia and the Czech Republic to areas of high demand for hydrogen in Germany.
• Development of the state-of-the-art equipment for production of blue hydrogen in the eastern part of Slovakia; Memorandum of Understanding signed by EPIF, Eustream, NAFTA, and RWE Supply & Trading.

• SunsHyne Corridor, a joint initiative of transmission system operators from Italy (Snam), Austria (TAG), Slovakia (Eustream), the Czech Republic (NET4GAS) and Germany (OGE), whose ambition is to enable the transport of hydrogen from the production areas of North Africa to Germany through Italy, Austria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

More about energy transformation projects is available on the Network Development page.