Sahara to Stuttgart in 3,300km: Snam Makes Its Move

Italy's Snam commits €200M to a 1,900km hydrogen backbone anchoring a 3,300km corridor from North Africa to Germany

7 Apr 2026

Italy's Snam has committed €200 million to build a national hydrogen pipeline network stretching roughly 1,900 kilometres, forming the southern anchor of the SoutH2 Corridor, a 3,300-kilometre cross-border project designed to carry green hydrogen from North Africa to industrial centres in Germany.

The investment sits within Snam's broader €14 billion capital plan through 2030. Rather than laying new pipe, the company intends to convert between 60 and 73 per cent of its existing natural gas network for hydrogen use, cutting both costs and build time. The Linea Adriatica pipeline, currently under construction to hydrogen-ready specifications, is due for completion in 2027 and will feed directly into the backbone.

Hydrogen produced in Tunisia and Algeria would enter the European grid at Sicily, travelling north through Italy and Austria before reaching German industrial clusters. The corridor, co-developed with transmission operators in both countries, is projected to carry four million tonnes of hydrogen annually once operational.

The project holds EU Project of Common Interest status, which accelerates regulatory approvals across borders. Snam has also secured €24 million from the EU's Connecting Europe Facility to cover early engineering work. Chief executive Agostino Scornajenchi said the commitment was foundational to "a more integrated, secure, and competitive energy system for Italy and Europe."

A final investment decision is expected by early 2030, contingent on sufficient commercial demand and continued regulatory backing. Whether industrial buyers will contract the volumes needed to justify full build-out remains the open question.