FNB Gas statement on the BMWK’s draft bill for the Hydrogen Acceleration Act (WassBG)

FNB Gas welcomes the BMWK’s consultation on the “Draft law to accelerate the availability of hydrogen and to amend further legal framework conditions for the hydrogen ramp-up”. The draft is aimed at a large number of facilities for the import, production and storage of hydrogen and underlines the public interest in the accelerated implementation of this important part of the hydrogen infrastructure.

It is therefore all the more regrettable that the proposed WassBG and the intended amendments to other laws largely omit the development of the hydrogen core network as a central part of the future hydrogen infrastructure. The draft does not take into account a large number of other urgently needed acceleration measures for the conversion of natural gas pipelines to hydrogen or for the construction of new hydrogen pipelines.

FNB Gas had hoped for a clearer positioning with regard to the acceleration of infrastructure construction and the ramp-up. The development of the hydrogen core network in particular, as the heart of the hydrogen infrastructure, requires additional, rapid and targeted support from the legislator. In our statement, we suggest that the acceleration instruments from the LNGG be extended to the development and expansion of hydrogen networks and the necessary network-reinforcing expansion measures in the natural gas network. Otherwise, the time required would significantly slow down the construction of the hydrogen core network.

Our complete statement is available in the downloads.