Most of the European Union’s gas transmission networks are not yet ready to transport hydrogen, underlines a new report by the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER), published on Friday 10 July, 2 days after the presentation of the EU hydrogen strategy (see EUROPE 12523/1).
On the basis of information collected from 23 national regulatory authorities (NRAs), this report shows that the capacity of gas transmission networks to accept hydrogen or biomethane varies widely across the EU and remains limited.
The injection of hydrogen volumes into the gas network is thus accepted in only seven of the 23 Member States surveyed (Austria, France, Germany, Latvia, Slovakia, Spain, and Sweden).
In addition, where the transport of hydrogen is permitted, it is only possible at very low concentrations by volume.
Some adaptations of the natural gas networks and some investments will therefore be necessary, ACER stresses, in particular as regards gas quality measurement systems.
Indeed, in most Member States (18 out of 23), current gas quality standards do not mention hydrogen volumes, according to the Agency.
It considers that these standards may need to be revised at EU level to ensure interoperability between Member States.
On the other hand, the report notes that the injection of hydrogen into the existing gas network does not appear to require, as a first step, major changes in the current market design and legislation.
In addition, in order to foster cross-border gas trade and market integration, most national regulators reportedly support an EU-wide approach to set limits on hydrogen volumes in natural gas networks, the paper says.
Finally, ACER believes that networks carrying exclusively hydrogen could be built in parallel with the injection of hydrogen into existing networks according to the specific market and network situation.
See the report: https://bit.ly/3gUOm5g (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)