The possibility of constructing a hydrogen corridor between Saudi Arabia and Europe that will pass through Greece was discussed in a meeting on Wednesday between Greece’s Environment and Energy Minister Theodoros Skylakakis and Saudi Arabia’s energy minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman al Saud, held in Riyadh. 

On Tuesday and Wednesday, Skylakakis carried out the first official visit by a Greek energy minister to Saudi Arabia in over 20 years, in the wake of a recent visit to the country by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

The meeting of the two ministers also followed up the 1st High Level Strategic Cooperation Council between Greece and Saudi Arabia, which took place in Al-Ula on January 13.
During the meeting, the two sides confirmed the strategic importance that both countries attach to the creation of a ‘green’ energy corridor between Saudi Arabia and Europe that will pass through Greece.
They decided to expand a feasibility study so that, together with an electricity interconnection, it also examines the possibility of a corresponding hydrogen corridor.

Skylakakis visited the facilities of the national electricity and networks company, where there was a detailed discussion on an electricity interconnection between the two countries in the context of developing renewable energy sources (photovoltaic and wind power) in Saudi Arabia, which plans to develop 130GW of renewable sources by 2030.

In addition, he presented the Greek policy on carbon capture and storage (CCS), while possible synergies with the Saudi Arabian side, which also has huge CO2 storage capabilities, within the framework of the emerging European CCS strategy, were also examined.

Finally, both ministers decided to organise a Greek business mission to Saudi Arabia on energy issues as soon as possible.