H2EU+Store: Feasibility study finds Western Ukraine suitable for RFNBO hydrogen exports
- The study finds green, RFNBO-compliant hydrogen can be produced at scale in Western Ukraine at competitive costs.
- Pipeline transport to Austria and southern Germany via Slovakia is feasible and is the most cost-effective option.
- Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk oblasts are identified as high-potential production locations due to wind, PV and water availability.
- Technical planning for a first export project is underway with a secured land area in Lviv Oblast and an initial target of ~9,000 t/year.
Scope and headline finding
The H2EU+Store feasibility study examined the full hydrogen value chain (upstream production, midstream transport, and customer demand) and concludes that green, RFNBO-compliant hydrogen can be produced in Western Ukraine at large scale and competitive prices and transported to Central European markets via existing infrastructure.
Resource and transport assessment
Western Ukraine — notably the Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk oblasts — offers strong wind and PV resources, sufficient water availability and an existing transnational gas pipeline network. The study identifies pipeline-based transport as the most cost-effective option and highlights direct connections via Slovakia to Austria and southern Germany, positioning the region as a potential element of the European Hydrogen Backbone's East Import Corridor.
Demand, initial project and next steps
The study matches production potential with demand clusters such as Linz (Upper Austria) and the ChemDelta Bavaria in southern Germany, which require long-term offtake. Project teams have begun technical planning for an initial hydrogen production project for export, with a secured land area in Lviv Oblast and an expected first-step output of about 9,000 tonnes per year. The feasibility study is presented as the basis for developing production capacities in Western Ukraine and integrating them into the East Corridor to support market ramp-up.
Source: RAG Austria AG