Hy-fen pipeline under development in France

A pipeline project named Hy-fen is currently under development in France, with public consultation open since September 28. The project aims to transport renewable and low-carbon hydrogen from Fos-sur-Mer to Moselle, near the German border, over a distance of approximately 820 kilometers.

Route and corridor details

The pipeline will cross five regions and 13 departments, with 512 communes within its study corridor. While the exact route has not yet been defined, a broad corridor of 4 to 5 kilometers is known as its approximate location. The final route will be refined in the coming months, taking into account the constraints of each territory.

Public consultation and project timeline

The preliminary consultation is being conducted by the National Commission for Public Debate (CNDP), allowing citizens to provide their opinions until December 20. Input can be submitted online or during public meetings and webinars. The project is led by NaTran (formerly GRTgaz), which aims to begin construction in 2030 and expects the pipeline to be operational by 2032. The estimated cost of the project is 3.6 billion euros.

European funding and strategic role

The Hy-fen project was selected in January 2025 by the European Interconnection Mechanism, opening it to co-financing by the European Union. It is part of the European H2Med corridor, which aims to transport green hydrogen from the Iberian Peninsula to industrial areas in northern Europe. The Hy-fen pipeline will extend the existing BarMar submarine pipeline between Barcelona and Marseille, which is also expected to be completed in 2032.

Existing infrastructure and legal challenges

Approximately 280 kilometers of the French route will reuse existing natural gas pipelines converted to hydrogen, particularly in Burgundy-Franche-Comté and the Grand Est. However, France lacks a legal framework for hydrogen transport networks, as it has not yet implemented a European directive on the subject. The European Commission initiated an infringement procedure against France on this issue at the end of September.

Hydrogen’s role in decarbonization

Hydrogen can help reduce carbon emissions in industries that are major CO2 emitters, such as chemical production, fertilizer manufacturing, and refining. Currently, most hydrogen used in France is gray hydrogen, produced from fossil fuels, contributing to nearly 5 million tons of CO2 emissions annually. In the future, green hydrogen, produced using renewable energy, could be used for low-carbon industrial processes and reduce emissions significantly.