BarMar: Hydrogen interconnection between the Iberian Peninsula and Central Europe

Green hydrogen is a versatile and clean energy carrier that does not generate polluting emissions, as it is produced from renewable energy sources through a water electrolysis process. It is therefore a key solution for decarbonising many strategic sectors of the economy, particularly those where electrification is not a viable option, such as heavy transport, the chemical industry, refineries and fertiliser production.

Green hydrogen is a key element in speeding up the energy transition towards net-zero emissions. An essential energy carrier for achieving the decarbonisation, security of supply and energy sovereignty targets defined by the European Union in its REPowerEU plan, and by the Spanish Government in its National Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC).

BarMar is an offshore pipeline designed to transport renewable hydrogen between Spain (Barcelona) and France (Marseille). It forms part of the European H2med corridor, a strategic infrastructure project included in the European Union’s list of Projects of Common Interest (PCIs).

The project aims to connect the areas with the highest renewable hydrogen production potential in the Iberian Peninsula with Europe’s main industrial hubs, supporting the decarbonisation of key sectors, strengthening energy security and autonomy, and contributing to the development of an integrated European hydrogen market.

Because it will enable renewable hydrogen to be delivered where it is needed to decarbonise European industry.

At the end of 2024, H2med carried out a non-binding market consultation process (Call For Interest) to identify hydrogen production and consumption needs along the corridor. The results confirmed the need for a hydrogen infrastructure network connecting supply from the Iberian Peninsula with consumption centres in northwestern Europe.

A pipeline network is the most efficient way to transport green hydrogen and make it accessible to multiple consumers, contributing to Europe’s energy sovereignty and competitive decarbonisation.

The BarMar interconnection will enable the export of up to 2 Mt/year of renewable hydrogen from Spain to the rest of Europe.

Renewable hydrogen produced in Spain will primarily be used to meet the needs of domestic industry through the future Spanish hydrogen backbone network.

In addition, part of this production will be exported to Europe through the H2med corridor, of which BarMar forms part. This infrastructure will enable green hydrogen to be transported to France and from there to other European industrial markets, contributing to the decarbonisation of continental industry and the development of an integrated European hydrogen market.

The BarMar interconnection will consist of an approximately 400 km offshore pipeline dedicated exclusively to the transport of renewable hydrogen; a compressor station located at Enagás facilities in the Port of Barcelona; and a receiving station located south of the central mineral terminal in Fos-sur-Mer, near Marseille, France.

The pipeline will be made up of 12-metre-long pipes, with nearly 33,000 pipes in total, laid mostly at depths of between 50 and 120 metres.

The BarMar project is currently in the technical studies, environmental assessment and public consultation phase, in accordance with the requirements established for European Union Projects of Common Interest (PCIs).

Between 2025 and 2026, the development of basic and detailed engineering, environmental studies and administrative permitting processes is planned. Spain and France have already launched the implementation of the Conceptual Public Participation Plan (PCPP) in the territories involved in the project, with completion expected by July 2026.

Construction of BarMar is scheduled to take place between 2029 and 2032, with the infrastructure expected to enter into operation in 2032.

The development of BarMar will contribute positively to local and regional economies by boosting industrial activity, technological innovation and investment.

During the construction phase, direct and indirect employment is expected to be created, particularly in sectors such as engineering, civil works, logistics and support services. During the operation and maintenance phase, the project will generate stable, skilled employment, reinforcing the role of the regions involved in the emerging renewable hydrogen economy.

More broadly, Spain’s hydrogen economy is expected to generate more than €32 billion in GDP and sustain around 81,000 jobs each year throughout its development, according to the report “Socio-economic impact of the development of the hydrogen economy in Spain”, issued by PwC for Enagás.

The BarMar project has been designed to minimise environmental impact and contribute significantly to the fight against climate change.

Environmental protection has been a priority since the earliest stages of the project. Potential effects on the marine environment are being analysed in detail throughout the project’s development, with the aim of avoiding the most sensitive areas and implementing preventive and corrective measures wherever necessary.

Most potential impacts are associated with the construction phase and are temporary and localised. Once operational, the infrastructure will not generate direct emissions and will help avoid millions of tonnes of CO₂ emissions by enabling the use of renewable hydrogen in industrial sectors that are difficult to decarbonise.