On Thursday 26 February, Belgium presented non-paper to the Competitiveness Council outlining concerns about the implementation of targets relating to renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RNBF) for industry under the Renewable Energy Directive (REDIII).
This directive requires Member States to achieve 42% use of renewable hydrogen (RFNBO) in industry by 2030 and 60% by 2035.
However, these targets represent “disproportionate challenges” for countries where renewable resources (solar and wind) are structurally limited, stressed Belgium, followed by the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, all of whom supported the document.
What’s more, the “import of renewable hydrogen is not yet economically viable, not just in Belgium but throughout Europe”, said Laurent Hublet, Brussels Minister for the Economy, during a discussion at the Competitiveness Council.
During this discussion, Romania, Italy and France supported the Belgian initiative.
All of these countries believe that without adjustments to the current framework, key industrial decarbonisation projects that are close to a final investment decision risk being delayed or cancelled.
They would therefore like to see low-carbon blue hydrogen (fossil hydrogen with a CO2 capture device) also taken into account in RED III’s industrial objectives.
“By allowing low carbon hydrogen to play its role, the EU can accelerate emission reductions while protecting strategic industrial capacity across the continent”, the document states.
To consult the document: https://aeur.eu/f/kxm (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)