Hydrogen and CCUS Transport Networks

Hydrogen and CCUS Transport Networks

Summary

Pipelines are emerging as the most cost-efficient and scalable transport solution for both low-carbon hydrogen and CO2, particularly for long-distance, high-volume flows. However, deployment remains constrained by high capital intensity, regulatory fragmentation, provisional cross-border frameworks, and the fact that a significant share of projects remain at feasibility stage. As hydrogen export corridors and CCUS hub-and-cluster models evolve, transport infrastructure is increasingly recognised as the critical enabler - as well as a bottleneck - of market scale-up.

Global low-carbon hydrogen ambition remains high, but project delivery is sluggish, as 57% of the capacity slated for completion by 2030 is still in the feasibility stage and only 4% has reached construction. This underscores ongoing uncertainty around demand, financing conditions, and the timing of large-scale market take-off.

The CCUS market is scaling from a more established base, with over half of capacity targeted for completion by 2030 already in post-feasibility stages, with supportive policies - such as the expansion of 45Q tax credit in the US, and Europe’s Net-Zero Industry Act - accelerating project progression. However, longer-term expansion increasingly depends on the availability of shared transport and storage infrastructure.

As of Q1 2026, there are approximately 49 completed hydrogen pipeline projects globally, bringing the total length to ~3,778km. However, around 72% of the expected 2035 cumulative pipeline length remains at the feasibility stage, reflecting the fact that most large-scale hydrogen pipelines are still pre-FID and highly exposed to delivery risks, including financing constraints, spiraling project costs with inflation, and demand uncertainty.

CO2 pipelines are showing steady growth, with North America accounting for over 70% of active and upcoming pipeline length, driven by long-established domestic networks. Looking ahead, global CO2 pipeline growth will be moderated by the complexities of shared CO2 pipeline operation and uncertainty over responsibility for remediation across multi-user networks.

Key Highlights

• Based on active and announced projects, global low-carbon hydrogen capacity could reach up to ~82mtpa by 2030, indicating significant project ambition across regions. However, project progression remains slow, with around 57% of the expected 2030 capacity still in the feasibility stage.
• The announced project pipeline suggests significant potential, with cumulative hydrogen pipeline length currently expected to reach almost 77,000 km by 2035, spread across ~210 projects, indicating strong long-term infrastructure ambition.
• However, around 72% of the expected 2035 cumulative pipeline length remains at the feasibility stage, reflecting the fact that most large-scale hydrogen pipelines are still pre-FID and highly exposed to delivery risk.
• Repurposing existing natural gas pipelines has emerged as a potential near-term strategy to accelerate rollout and reduce costs.
• According to GlobalData, CCUS project count is set to grow from 141 in 2025 to ~806 in 2030, and 57% of the capacity targeting completion by 2030 is already post-feasibility.
• Between 2025 and 2030, global CO2 pipeline lengths are set to grow at a CAGR of ~12%, driven by early-stage backbone networks linking industrial clusters to shared storage hubs.
• Post-2032, a slight plateau emerges, reflecting limited visibility on late-decade projects and the longer planning, permitting, and capital timelines associated with large-scale CO2 transport infrastructure.

Scope

• Global hydrogen outlook and trends
• Breakdown of hydrogen capacity and hydrogen pipeline length by stage of development, country, and companies
• Largest upcoming hydrogen pipeline projects
• Outlook of implemented and upcoming hydrogen pipeline policies and initiatives
• Global CCUS outlook and trends
• Breakdown of CCUS capacity and CO2 pipeline length by stage of development, country, and companies
• Largest upcoming CO2 pipeline projects
• Outlook of implemented and upcoming CO2 pipeline policies and initiatives

Reasons to Buy

• Identify the market trends within the region and key players in hydrogen and CCUS technologies.
• Develop market insight of current, in development, and announced capacity and latest trends of the sector.
• Understand the region's different scenarios for 2030/2035 based on the likelihood of the H2 and CO2 pipelines.
• Understand how and where the market is growing as pipelines scale to become a key technology for the global energy transition.
• Identify the legislative framework in different regions for the development of H2 and CO2 pipelines.

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