EnWG amendment: Federal government’s counterstatement fails to recognize the importance of the impetus provided by the federal states

The Federal Government’s response to the Bundesrat’s resolutions on the amendment to the Energy Industry Act (EnWG) sends out the wrong signal for the ongoing legislative process.

Unfortunately, the impetus provided by the federal states for the further development of the hydrogen infrastructure has not been taken up. This applies in particular to the proposed adjustments to the financing of the hydrogen core network, the consideration of ramp-up and investment risks in the return on equity and the demand for viable financing mechanisms beyond the core network. Practical improvements in distribution network development and toleration obligations for decommissioned gas pipelines are also not taken into account.

This means that key levers for a reliable and investment-friendly framework for the hydrogen ramp-up remain unused.

We appeal to the members of the Bundestag to take up the impetus from the federal states in the further process and to develop the draft bill into a genuine enabling law for the transformation.