PCIs are major cross-border infrastructure projects connecting European energy systems. They promote the internal energy market, strengthen security of supply in the EU and support the common energy and climate goals: affordable, secure and sustainable energy and the long-term decarbonisation of the economy.
The projects "H2 Backbone WAG + Penta-West" and "H2 Backbone Murfeld" make an important contribution to both the EU climate objectives and the Austrian climate and energy objectives. The planned hydrogen corridors not only enable the transit of green hydrogen, but also create significant import opportunities for Austria. This will significantly support the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources and promote the sustainable decarbonisation of Austrian industry.
The H2 Backbone WAG + Penta-West project is a central hub for future hydrogen transport in Central and Eastern Europe. As part of the SoutH2 Corridor connecting North Africa, Italy, Austria and Germany, it also creates important transport links with Northern and Eastern Europe, for example as part of the "H2EU + Store" initiative. The H2 Backbone Murfeld will create cross-border hydrogen transport options between Slovenia and Austria. The LNG terminal in Krk (Croatia) and North Africa via Italy could serve as sources.
H2 Backbone WAG + Penta West already achieved the coveted PCI status in the last cycle. It is thus recognised as a key project for the European hydrogen infrastructure. H2 Backbone Murfeld has also been re-submitted and is intended to broaden the possibilities for diversification with another forward-looking initiative for European hydrogen supply.
The PCI status must be reapplied for every two years, as it is subject to a rigorous assessment to ensure continued alignment with European climate goals and infrastructure priorities. The outcome of this round of applications is expected by the end of 2025.
The PCI status offers decisive advantages for the projects:
- Access to funding: Projects with PCI status can access European funding from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).
- Accelerated procedures: Approval processes are facilitated through standardised and prioritised procedures.
- Political and institutional support: Projects receive visibility at EU level and support from policy makers.
With this new submission, we underline the strategic importance of our hydrogen projects in actively shaping Europe's energy transition. We are confident that our projects, like "H2 Backbone WAG + Penta West" in the last cycle, will be convincing.