Hydrogen ramp-up
FNB Gas calls for improvements to the Hydrogen Acceleration Act
As part of the hearing on the Hydrogen Acceleration Act (WassBG) in the Committee for Climate Protection and Energy in the German Bundestag, Barbara Fischer, Managing Director of FNB Gas, emphasized the importance of acceleration measures for the rapid development of the hydrogen infrastructure.
In principle, the FNB welcome the German government’s initiative to promote the ramp-up of hydrogen. Unfortunately, the draft law falls short of the legislative possibilities for accelerating the development of the hydrogen infrastructure.
In particular, it is incomprehensible why the hydrogen core network and other hydrogen networks do not fall within the scope of the WassBG. The TSOs submitted the joint application for the hydrogen core network to the Federal Network Agency in the summer and are currently waiting for approval. After that, the TSOs want to start implementing the project quickly.
“We therefore do not expect the draft bill on the WassBG in its current form to significantly speed up the procedure for approving the hydrogen core network. We would also like to see the so-called “German speed” for hydrogen infrastructures,” says Fischer.
The FNB believes that the law needs to be improved:
- Extension of the acceleration measures to hydrogen networks and to the network reinforcement measures required for the conversion from natural gas to hydrogen.
- No application of public procurement law for procurement processes in the hydrogen sector: The WassBG must clarify that EU public procurement law and Part 4 of the GWB are not relevant for contracts that serve the development of the hydrogen infrastructure, in particular the core network.
- Expansion of the acceleration instruments: The successful instruments of the LNG Act should be extended to the development of hydrogen networks.
The FNB are committed to the rapid and efficient expansion of the hydrogen infrastructure in order to achieve the climate targets and strengthen Germany’s competitiveness.
Our complete statement is available in the downloads.
