ACER-CEER New Series Of European Green Deal Regulatory White Papers

This paper is the first in our new series of European Green Deal Regulatory White Papers. The aim is to deepen understanding on the regulatory aspects of Green Deal issues and to assist the European Commission in assessing various options as part of the preparations for legislation on hydrogen and energy system integration.

This ACER-CEER “When and How to Regulate Hydrogen Networks?” White Paper examines:

The circumstances under which regulating hydrogen networks is needed;
How to treat existing hydrogen network infrastructure;
How to address regulatory challenges related to the repurposing of gas infrastructure for dedicated hydrogen transport.

The Paper provides the following 6 recommendations on regulating hydrogen networks:

1. Consider a gradual approach to the regulation of hydrogen networks in line with market and infrastructure development for hydrogen

2. Apply a dynamic regulatory approach based on periodic market analysis and monitoring

3. Clarify the regulatory principles from the outset

4. Foresee temporary regulatory exemptions for existing and new hydrogen infrastructure developed as business-to-business networks

5. Value the benefits of repurposing gas assets for hydrogen transport

6. Apply cost-reflectivity to avoid cross-subsidisation between the gas and hydrogen networks in case of repurposing gas assets

Coming next in our White Paper series is the ACER-CEER White Paper on the Regulatory Treatment of Power-to-Gas.

Find out more on ACER website.

Want to know more about hydrogen?

CEER, is organising a Green Hydrogen for Industry - Regulatory Workshop on 11 February. For more information and to register, see here.

ACER, in partnership with the Energy Community, is hosting a webinar on hydrogen on Thursday 25 February. For more information and to register, see here.

Also published today on the ACER website are two (Kantor Management Consultants S.A.) papers commissioned by ACER; one on the possible regulation of hydrogen networks and the other paper on the possible regulation of methane emissions abatement.