Netherlands and Germany to build cross-border hydrogen corridor to accelerate industrial decarbonisation
Gasunie, Open Grid Europe and Thyssengas have signed a joint development agreement to create a cross-border hydrogen transport corridor linking the Netherlands and Germany, marking a significant step towards an integrated North-West European hydrogen network.
The planned infrastructure will connect the two countries’ national hydrogen grids at the Zevenaar (Netherlands) and Elten (North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany) border point, enabling the transport of hydrogen between Dutch production, import and storage hubs and major German industrial demand centres. The partners aim to complete the connection by 2031, with existing natural gas pipelines to be repurposed where possible to accelerate deployment and reduce costs.
The agreement was signed during the “Hydrogen Milestone Ceremony” in Rotterdam, held alongside the World Hydrogen Summit 2026, in the presence of senior political representatives from both the Netherlands and Germany. The signing was described by the companies as a key milestone in moving hydrogen infrastructure from planning to implementation across Europe.
The corridor is expected to play a central role in linking the Dutch hydrogen system, including the Delta-Rhine industrial cluster and the port of Rotterdam, with Germany’s Rhine-Ruhr region, one of Europe’s largest industrial demand centres. Future expansion is also expected to extend connectivity towards southern industrial hubs such as Ludwigshafen, further strengthening cross-border supply chains for low-carbon hydrogen.
The partners said the development of shared infrastructure is essential to building a resilient European hydrogen market capable of supporting energy security, industrial competitiveness and emissions reduction targets. By integrating national networks into a broader system, the corridor is intended to enable large-scale hydrogen flows from import terminals and production sites in the Netherlands into German industrial regions.
Industry leaders involved in the agreement highlighted the importance of using existing pipeline infrastructure to speed up deployment and improve economic viability. They emphasised that cross-border cooperation between transmission operators will be critical in scaling hydrogen transport networks efficiently across Europe.
The project forms part of a wider effort to establish a coordinated hydrogen backbone across North-West Europe, positioning the Netherlands as a key import and transit hub and Germany as a major consumption centre in the emerging hydrogen economy.
