Algeria is currently in talks with Germany to become a major supplier of green hydrogen to Europe’s largest economy. With plans underway to upgrade its pipeline connections to reach a wider swathe of the continent, the North African country is poised to cover up to 10% of European demand for green hydrogen.
The discussions between Algeria and Germany, which took place in Algiers on 23 October, focused on converting and extending existing natural gas pipelines to supply green hydrogen to southern Germany.
The pipeline corridor will extend through Tunisia, Italy and Austria, and has emerged as a viable solution to Europe’s gas shortage.
To achieve this, Spanish natural gas transmission company Enagás has sought to connect the industrial area near the Strait of Gibraltar to the North African country’s pipeline network by 2030. Additionally, as part of a broader partnership between Algeria and Germany aimed at promoting the development of green hydrogen, German development bank KfW will provide financial support for a 50 MW pilot green hydrogen project in the North African country.
Meanwhile, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Melone visited Algeria to seal agreements for a green hydrogen and natural gas supply network in an effort to reduce the European country’s reliance on Russian gas.
“Italy’s partnership with Algeria is paramount for our energy security, given that Algeria is our primary gas supplier and a crucial component of our energy supply strategy,” Prime Minister Melone stated following a meeting with his Algerian counterpart Abdelmadjid Tebboune on 23 October.