Europe's hydrogen infrastructure faces 2-3 year delay, Enagas CEO says

MADRID (Reuters) -The deployment of pipes and other infrastructure to ship hydrogen across Europe faces delays of two or three years, the head of Spanish gas grid operator Enagas said on Tuesday.

The firm is among the staunchest supporters of the green hydrogen industry, which uses renewable energy for its production.

Earlier this year, Enagas pledged to invest more than 4 billion euros by the end of the decade, mostly to diversify into managing a network of hydrogen infrastructure.

It plans to build a 2,600 km (1,615 mile) hydrogen network in Spain to be connected to the planned trans-European H2Med corridor aimed at connecting the Iberian region with northwest Europe.

Enagas still expects the Spanish network to be ready by 2030. However, at the European level delays of two or three years are likely, Chief Executive Arturo Gonzalo said.

"Are there delays in Europe? I would say delays of a very limited scope...Different member states are setting the launch date for their hydrogen infrastructures between 2030 and 2032," he said.

That's beyond the 2030 target for H2Med to be operational.

(Reporting by Pietro Lombardi; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)