HY-FEN: launch of the preliminary consultation

Monday, 28 September 2026 - Launch of a prior consultation process on the HY-FEN project to develop an interregional and national backbone for the transmission of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen

Map of HY-FEN hydrogen infrastructure project

On 28 September 2026, NaTran is launching a prior consultation on HY-FEN, a project to transport hydrogen from southern to northern France. This process, overseen by France’s independent public consultation authority (CNDP), will run until 20 December 2026 and cover the entire project route.

HY-FEN: a hydrogen backbone project linking southern and northern France

HY-FEN is an interregional infrastructure project for the transmission of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen. Led by national gas distributor NaTran, HY-FEN will form a national backbone connecting northern and southern France. Some 820 km long, it will link the Bouches-du-Rhône to the Moselle and the German border, serving existing regional industrial hubs along its route, including the Fos-sur-Mer industrial port zone, France’s ‘Chemical Valley’ and the Grand Est industrial region. The pipeline could also serve new industrial sites and nearby facilities producing and storing renewable and low-carbon hydrogen.

HY-FEN is the French link in the European H2med project, which aims to connect the Iberian Peninsula, where abundant solar and wind resources enable large-scale renewable hydrogen production, with France, which has strong industrial demand and the potential to produce low-carbon hydrogen using nuclear power, and ultimately with Germany, which is expected to be primarily a hydrogen-consuming market. This project will help establish an accessible and competitive common market for renewable and low-carbon hydrogen.

HY-FEN will consist of steel pipelines buried at least one metre underground. The route, which is currently being finalised, will be defined in stages, taking into account human, environmental and technical considerations. NaTran is currently examining various options within a 4-to 5-kilometre-wide corridor to minimise these impacts. The prior consultation process will also identify issues specific to each area in greater detail and address them in line with the “avoid, reduce, compensate” approach.

A project supporting industrial sovereignty and decarbonisation and the energy transition across local communities

Renewable and low-carbon hydrogen can support the energy transition, helping to decarbonise industry while strengthening its sovereignty through energy produced in France and Europe. As decarbonised hydrogen production and consumption are expected to grow across regional, national and European markets, it is essential to develop energy infrastructure needed to transport it reliably, safely and cost-effectively between production, consumption and storage sites. With a transport capacity of 2 million tonnes of hydrogen per year, HY-FEN addresses this need and will help strengthen industrial and energy sovereignty at regional, national and European levels. HY-FEN will help avoid some 20 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year by reducing industry’s reliance on fossil fuels.

Access to competitive, low-carbon hydrogen will benefit the regions along the route by:

Strengthening local energy sovereignty,
Supporting continued industrial investment and employment,
Fostering the development of new business sectors, particularly low-carbon, heavy-duty mobility.

The five French regions crossed by the proposed route — Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Occitanie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and Grand Est — expressed their support for the project in a joint statement issued in July 2025. HY-FEN has also been recognised by the European Union as a Project of Common Interest, reflecting its contribution to decarbonising the economy and building Europe’s future energy market.

“HY-FEN is a landmark project for NaTran, supporting industrial decarbonisation and the energy transition across the regions it serves. It also aligns directly with our NaTran 2030 strategic project and our plans to develop more than 1,000 kilometres of hydrogen and CO2 networks across Europe by 2030. This prior consultation process marks an important step towards determining the lowest-impact route corridor. Our teams will be working in the field to engage with residents, nonprofits and local stakeholders as part of the process established with the CNDP.”

Anthony Mazzenga,

Development Officer at NaTran

Prior consultation

Organised in accordance with France’s Environmental Code, this process is overseen by the CNDP, which has appointed four independent guarantors to ensure public participation, full transparency and a seamless process. It will run from 28 September until 20 December 2026 and cover the entire project route.

Open to all, the consultation serves to inform the public, address enquiries and present the core aspects of the project, including its rationale, implementation and impacts. The public will have various opportunities to learn more, ask questions and share their views. A special website provides a range of information, including the consultation pack, a schedule of meetings along the proposed route and an online feedback form.