Two Projects That Could Rewrite Europe’s Energy Map

EU updates its priority list to fast track hydrogen and carbon storage projects shaping its clean energy future.

2 Dec 2025

Europe is edging toward a more concrete phase of its clean-energy shift. By keeping the SoutH2 Corridor and the Callisto carbon-storage scheme on its priority list, the European Commission signals that talk of a hydrogen economy is giving way to the slow business of building it.

The SoutH2 Corridor, steered by Snam and partners such as TAG, is central to this effort. The plan is to move hydrogen from North Africa into Europe by converting existing gas pipelines, an approach meant to cut costs and shorten timelines. Though construction has yet to start, the corridor is now presented as a future spine of Europe’s energy system, with operations pencilled in for around 2030.

Callisto, meanwhile, aims to expand offshore carbon-storage capacity near Ravenna. Such facilities would let hydrogen producers deposit emissions from production processes, offering industries a cleaner way to use hydrogen made from fossil fuels while low-carbon supplies scale up. Coupling a long-distance hydrogen route with ready storage could tighten the value chain and give manufacturers a clearer path to meeting climate rules.

Yet the obstacles are familiar. Europe’s regulatory structure remains patchy, with energy firms fretting that uneven national rules could delay investment. Enagas warns that pipelines alone will not deliver a functioning market without policies that support cross-border trade. Investors, too, want long-term purchase commitments from heavy industry before committing to costly infrastructure.

Still, optimism is spreading. If built as planned, the SoutH2 Corridor could move several million tonnes of hydrogen a year, offering steelworks, chemical plants and transport operators a tool to cut emissions while upgrading production. For some firms this is less a technological shift than a chance to shore up Europe’s industrial base.

Political backing now appears firmer, and industry interest is rising. Should these flagship projects shift from planning to construction, they could redraw Europe’s energy map and quicken the arrival of a connected hydrogen economy.