In a revised version of a joint statement made in early May (see EUROPE 12713/7), eleven EU Member States (Austria, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Ireland, Luxembourg, Latvia, the Netherlands and Sweden) have called to reject the possibility that the EU Regulation (347/2013) on Trans-European Energy Networks (TEN-E) covers the “blending” of hydrogen with natural gas.
“The TEN-E [regulation] must not facilitate investments in fossil fuel infrastructure nor blending hydrogen with fossil fuels”, said the new document obtained by EUROPE on Tuesday 1 June.
For these eleven Member States, the revision of the TEN-E Regulation should contribute to “developing the framework for a viable pathway away from reliance on fossil fuels” by providing incentives “to invest in the energy system of the future to avoid lock-in effects and sunk investments”.
This position seems to be a response to the latest draft compromise of the Portuguese Presidency of the EU Council on the revision of the TEN-E. The Portuguese proposal actually foresees to include a transitional period during which redeveloped gas assets could be used for the transport or storage of a predefined blend of hydrogen and natural gas or biomethane (see EUROPE 12727/4).
The revision of the TEN-E Regulation will be discussed by the Member States’ ambassadors to the EU (Coreper) on Wednesday 2 June, in preparation for the meeting of energy ministers to be held on 11 June.
See the joint statement: https://bit.ly/34yu9ye (Damien Genicot)