EU Agrees a dedicated Hydrogen network operator

After two years of negotiations, EU lawmakers finally agreed to create an independent hydrogen network planner - European Network of Network Operators for Hydrogen (ENNOH).

As part of the Gas Regulation, the European Parliament withdrew its proposal to add hydrogen as part of the portfolio of existing natural gas network operators. This task will be given to independent hydrogen TSOs, grouped at EU-level under an independent ENNOH. In reaction, SolarPower Europe issued the following statement.

Arthur Daemers, Policy Advisor at SolarPower Europe, (he/him) said:

“The creation of ENNOH is critical to change the way we think about, and manage, hydrogen: we must not think of hydrogen as a 1-to-1 substitution to natural gas, but as a separate energy carrier and feedstock, technically similar to natural gas, complementing the deployment of renewable electricity. 

ENNOH will enable the planning of a hydrogen network that is cost- and energy-efficient, prioritising renewable electricity except for the hard-to-electrify sectors. Though this will only fully come into effect from 2028, this allows us to start planning for a hydrogen network on the right path.  

The Gas Regulation also requires an integrated planning. Hydrogen growth will require strengthening the electricity grid and connecting more renewables Now, electricity, gas and hydrogen planners will need to sit around a table and design the best decarbonisation plan possible for Europe while making the best use of the resources available.”