The Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) has launched a market consultation on the regulation of hydrogen networks. In particular, existing and potential market players, network operators and scientists, but also organizations, institutions and consumers are addressed. Comments must be received by the authority by September 4, 2020 at the latest.
Due to specific inquiries about individual projects and the fact that green gas projects were listed for network modeling for the first time as part of the “Gas Network Development Plan 2020 – 2030”, the Federal Network Agency dealt with various regulatory questions. Regulatory issues are “of crucial importance” from both the perspective of consumers and investors who rely on secure framework conditions, said Jochen Homann, President of the Federal Network Agency.
In an inventory of around 100 pages, the authority analyzes - based on possible development paths - "whether hydrogen networks should be regulated in the future" and options as to whether, when and to what extent they could be regulated in the future. According to the Federal Network Agency, hydrogen networks are currently generally not covered by regulation under the Energy Industry Act. There are only regulations for feeding additional gas into natural gas networks (“admixture”). There will be a tendency for regulation to be approved “in the medium to long term if this energy source is intended to make a substantial contribution to public supply beyond the existing island networks” and the competitive situation is comparable to that in the network areas “regulated today” in accordance with the Energy Industry Act.
The consultation questions are published on the Federal Network Agency's website. In six sections, details are provided on regulations for adding hydrogen to natural gas networks and on expanding the use of hydrogen in the economy. It is also about possible regulation for pure hydrogen networks, regulations on network connection, network access and network expansion as well as financing options.
Deep link:
https://www.bundesnetzagentur.de/SharedDocs/Pressemitteilungen/DE/2020/20200713_Wasserstofff.html;jsessionid=64C2CF580309A752BF22D75E0F76FAA8
https://www.bundesnetzagentur.de/wasserstoff
https://www.bundesnetzagentur.de/DE/Sachgebiete/ElektrizitaetundGas/Unternehmen_Institutionen/NetzentwicklungundSmartGrid/Wasserstoff/wasserstoff_node.html
https://www.bundesnetzagentur.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Sachgebiete/Energie/Unternehmen_Institutionen/NetzentwicklungUndSmartGrid/Wasserstoff/Fragebogen.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=3
Photos:
The Federal Network Agency wants to investigate whether and how hydrogen networks should be regulated in the future / © Bundesnetzagentur
