- Algeria had signed the declaration to officially join the Southern Hydrogen Corridor project in Italy, known as “SouthH2Corridor”, a 3,300-kilometer pipeline.
- The Italian minister emphasized that the SoutH2 Corridor project will be completed in 2030, given that the facility is already largely ready, explaining that Italy can also play a role in building solar power and carbon storage plants in Algeria and Tunisia.
Algeria had signed the declaration to officially join the Southern Hydrogen Corridor project in Italy, known as “SouthH2Corridor”, a 3,300-kilometer pipeline starting from Algeria and reaching Germany through Tunisia, the Mediterranean, Italy and Austria.
The Algerian Ministry of Energy, Mines and Renewable Energies said in a statement that the high-level ministerial meeting in Rome culminated in the signing of the joint declaration of political intentions on the Southern Hydrogen Corridor (SoutH2 Corridor) project, where the signatories confirmed their intention to strengthen cooperation to develop this strategic project linking production sites in Algeria to the European Union, through enhanced cooperation within a joint five-year working group.
Under the signed joint declaration, the parties recognise the great potential of Algeria and Tunisia in the production of renewable energy and green hydrogen, the need to enhance energy security between the region and the EU to support green growth, the importance of developing hydrogen plants and associated infrastructure, accelerating the sustainable energy transition to achieve global climate goals, focusing on attracting investments in Algeria and Tunisia to support the local market, create jobs and promote innovation, the ministry added in its statement.
The agreement also emphasizes the importance of the Southern Hydrogen Corridor as an infrastructure to transport hydrogen between Algeria via Tunisia and Europe, with the need to strengthen capacities and develop the necessary skills, identify financing needs and risk mitigation mechanisms, and commit to coordinate policies and share expertise to ensure the effective implementation of the project, with regular follow-up through a joint working group that meets every six months.
In a speech on the occasion, Algerian Minister of State, Minister of Energy, Mines and Renewable Energies Mr. Mohamed Arkab highlighted Algeria’s commitment to developing the green hydrogen industry, based on its privileged geographical location, its rich solar and wind resources, and its advanced infrastructure in the energy sector.
Mr Arkab underscored that Algeria seeks to become a regional centre for the production of green hydrogen and its export to Europe, contributing to the diversification of energy supplies and reducing carbon emissions.
“The hydrogen that will reach Italy, Austria and Germany from Tunisia and Algeria via the Southern Corridor pipeline will be ready in 2030,” said Gilberto Becchetto Frattin, Minister of Environment and Energy Security in the government of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni after the signing ceremony, adding that this hydrogen from Algeria and Tunisia will be green if it is produced with electricity only, but can be blue if it is produced from gas with carbon dioxide capture, which we are experimenting with through a modern mechanism that allows decarbonization.
The Italian minister emphasized that the SoutH2 Corridor project will be completed in 2030 given that the facility is already largely ready, explaining that Italy can also play a role in building solar power and carbon storage plants in Algeria and Tunisia.
“We are there with Eni, and the Matai Plan provides for cooperation, integration and development in these regions, but also for investments by Italy that will be profitable for us and for these countries,” he said.
According to Minister Gilberto Frattin, hydrogen can be transported by pipeline, even when mixed with methane, noting that in addition to gas pipelines, hydrogen can also arrive in Italy from Algeria and Tunisia by ship, transformed into NH4 ammonium, a liquid consisting of 4 hydrogen atoms and 1 nitrogen atom.
The Italian minister concluded that the issue with hydrogen today is still its price, adding that blue hydrogen could be a competitor.