Two studies present the legal and administrative framework conditions for the cross-border linking of hydrogen transport infrastructures between Germany and France (Hydrogen bridges I) and between Germany and Switzerland (Hydrogen bridges II) from the perspective of Baden-Württemberg companies and planning authorities.

In 2025, Hydrogen Bridges II directly follows on from the Hydrogen Bridges I research project, which was also funded by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry for the Environment, Energy and Climate in 2023 and 2024.

The aim of the research project is to enable the connection of industrial sectors with high hydrogen demand in the border triangle, in particular the chemical and pharmaceutical industry clusters on the Upper and High Rhine, by linking the hydrogen networks across borders and to accelerate the expansion of the hydrogen network in general. To this end, the study aims to shed light on the legal framework conditions for the cross-border interconnection of hydrogen pipelines at the points that are suitable from the pipeline operators’ point of view. On the one hand, this should make the planning of the pipeline network operators more efficient and, on the other hand, provide the authorities responsible for carrying out the necessary administrative procedures with an efficient procedural structure through innovative approaches to cross-border procedural coordination.