The project for the creation of the green energy corridor Caspian-Black Sea-Europe envisions the integration of green hydrogen; however, this component will be implemented at a later stage of the project, Andrea Meola, Director of Global Markets and Business Development at CESI, said during the ministerial sessions in Baku within the framework of the Advisory Councils on the Southern Gas Corridor and "Green Energy."
Report quotes him as saying CESI has been serving as the technical consultant for the project since last year, which he described as one of the most complex but also one of the most promising in the company's history.
"This is a large-scale infrastructure connecting four countries—starting from Azerbaijan and Georgia, then across the Black Sea to Romania, and ultimately to Hungary. This is a critically important project for the entire region. We began the research at the beginning of last year and presented preliminary results at COP29. Subsequently, they were supplemented, coordinated with stakeholders, and approved at the latest meetings," he noted.
Meola clarified that the project involves the transmission of up to 4 GW of power through various segments of connections. According to him, the land sections of the route already partially have the necessary infrastructure; however, there is no underwater connection across the Black Sea as of now—this will be the first electric cable of its kind, creating a number of technical challenges.
"The first part of the study was focused on assessing the technical feasibility of the project. We confirmed that such a cable can be built," he said.
Speaking about the potential of the project, Meola emphasized its ability to integrate significant volumes of renewable energy: about 35 GW, with 25 GW coming from the Caucasus region and another 10 GW from future projects in Romania and Hungary.
"This potential exceeds the volumes already included in national energy plans. In the first stage, we assessed the region’s potential and developed a business case for interregional energy transmission. We also considered a scenario for the transmission of green hydrogen, but together with the client, we concluded that its implementation should be postponed. This means that hydrogen will become part of the project, but later—at the initial stage, priority will be given to the transmission of electricity," he concluded.