FNB Gas statement on the BMWK’s draft bill for a third law amending the Energy Industry Act (EnWG)

FNB Gas welcomes the draft legislation that enshrines the second stage of the development of a Germany-wide hydrogen network in law and thus further supports the acceleration of the hydrogen market ramp-up. Combining network development planning for the natural gas network and the future hydrogen network is in line with previous experience of transmission system operators, according to which both processes have multiple interactions and interdependencies and can therefore only be carried out efficiently in a single integrated network planning process.

The establishment of the coordinating body takes into account the unified process. In the future, it will have both coordinating and process-side functions in communication and the provision of network data. The previous coordination function of the FNB Gas for natural gas network planning will thus be expanded to include hydrogen network planning. In the future, the coordinating body will also ensure that other potential regulated hydrogen network operators can participate in hydrogen network planning in a legally compliant and non-discriminatory manner. FNB Gas will promptly create the appropriate structures for this in order to take account of the statutory deadlines with a view to the next network development plan.

The complete statement of FNB Gas is available in the downloads.