Many hydrogen infrastructure projects in Europe announce their PCI/PMI status – but what do they mean?
PCI (Project of Common Interest) and PMI (Project of Mutual Interest) are priority status granted by the EU Commission to energy infrastructure projects that connect two or more EU countries (PCI) or neighboring non-EU country (PMI).
Being on the PCI list comes with many benefits, including:
- Access to public funding from the €5.84 billion CEF-Energy program
- Speedy permitting
- Favorable regulatory treatment
In a major step forward for clean energy and network planning, the revision of the Trans-European Network for Energy (TEN-E) regulation in 2022 made hydrogen and electrolyser projects eligible for PCI status.
The first PCI list under these updated rules (and the 6th overall) was released in 2023, featuring 65 hydrogen-related projects such as pipelines, electrolysers, ammonia terminals, and storage facilities.
The PCI list is updated every two years, with the next release scheduled for 2025.
Looking forward to the continued progress in the development of the European hydrogen supply chain next year!
