Publications » Position papers » Pragmatic regulatory framework necessary for hydrogen market
Pragmatic regulatory framework necessary for hydrogen market
Downloads and links
Recent updates
The signatories of this letter welcome the publication of the drafts for the outstanding RED II Delegated Acts on Article 27.3 (‘Additionality’ Delegated Act) and Article 28.5 (Greenhouse Gas Reduction Methodology) and appreciate the European Commission’s call for feedback.
For meeting the climate neutrality targets set by the European Green Deal, our sectors crucially depend on the large-scale availability of renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBOs), supplied cost-competitively and securely across Europe. The signatories strongly support avoiding the double counting of renewable electricity or emitted greenhouse gases through appropriate certification mechanisms and the establishment of viable sustainability criteria though the RED II Delegated Acts. These shall ensure a clear and certain framework for investments.
Achieving the Commission's increased ambition levels such as RFNBOs sub-quotas as outlined in the REPowerEU Plan, European Hydrogen Strategy, revision of the Renewable Energy Directive, ReFuelEU Aviation or discussed in FuelEU Maritime require a safe investment environment and sufficient planning certainty for the rapid scale-up of renewable fuels of non-biological origin, hydrogen derivatives such as synthetic fuels, and underlying technologies such as Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU).
Overly restrictive requirements, the absence of clear guarantees on the availability of renewable electricity and relevant dedicated infrastructure have the opposite effect of curtailing investments in production capacity and imposing undue administrative burdens. The signatories therefore propose the following changes to the draft acts, which are necessary to enable the market ramp-up and fast decarbonisation.
The signatories recommend the European Commission to:
1. Prolong the proposed transitional period and grandfathering to at least 2030.
2. Extend the geographical correlation beyond the proposed concept, provided there is sufficient or potential interconnection capacity between bidding zones.
3. Set at least the proposed monthly temporal correlation as a default. A change to a more granular correlation should be subject to a corresponding Impact Assessment by the Commission.
1. Reconsider restrictions on industrial CO2 use.
2. Broaden the definition of possible CO2 sources limited by carbon pricing requirements.
3. Allow RCFs producer to use PPA’s and other measures to replace the electricity displaced by the production of an RCF (and RFNBO) instead of national average grid GHG factors.
Read the full text below.
Signatories:
Download this publication or visit associated links
Brussels, 16 March 2023 – A successful EU industrial policy requires a value chain-based approach, with steel as an integral part of the Net-Zero Industry Act. To ensure that the EU remains competitive in the greatest transformation of the industry towards climate-neutrality, it is essential to adopt disruptive thinking and innovative measures to create a more attractive green investment environment whilst securing the EU’s strategic autonomy. The European Steel Association (EUROFER) details its comprehensive vision in a new policy paper covering all industrial policy fields relevant for a green, decarbonised and prospering European manufacturing industry, including energy and climate, environment and circularity, investment, trade, internal market and skills.
New global reality requires disruptive thinking and innovative measures
Brussels, 14 March 2023 – The revision of the Electricity Market Design (EMD) risks becoming another missed opportunity to secure cost-competitive fossil-free electricity and to introduce solutions providing swift relief to energy-intensive sectors exposed to global competition. It remains unclear how industrial energy consumers will be able to access the large quantities of renewable and low-carbon electricity needed for their decarbonisation in the coming years, says the European Steel Association following the publication of the European Commission’s reform proposal on the EMD.