A study shows that the vast majority of European gas pipelines are ready for conversion to hydrogen.
The vast majority (96%) of the European gas distribution pipeline system is ready for a conversion to hydrogen, says a study from the Ready4H2 project, in which Floene is taking part, published today.
“A study produced by the Ready4H2 (Ready for Hydrogen) project, in which Floene participates, concludes that the vast majority (96%) of the European gas distribution pipelines, which supply 67 million homes, companies and industries, are now ready to transport hydrogen,” the GGND said in a press release.
Ready4H2 is an alliance of 91 European gas distributors from 16 countries, officially launched on 20 October 2021 and scheduled to last until March 2022, which produced its first report on the real capacity of European gas distribution networks to support the construction of a hydrogen market, aligned with the European Union’s targets to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 55% by 2030.
“In economic terms, we found that it is four times cheaper to transport hydrogen by pipeline than by lorry, which justifies a significant investment in local gas networks,” said Ready4H2 president Peter Kristensen, quoted in the same release.
The study also noted that “despite the demonstrated potential of hydrogen, there are still a number of technological, commercial, public, regulatory and organisational barriers that continue to impede the conversion of gas networks to transport hydrogen”.
Those barriers include “uncertainties related to the price and volumes of the hydrogen market, the lack of public awareness of the benefits of decarbonisation via this energy vector and support for distribution network operators,” the entity pointed out.
In order to solve these problems, the report pointed to the need for a stronger operational mandate for local gas networks at European level and greater operational flexibility at national and local level to speed up the adaptation of hydrogen solutions.
NOTE: Text published by Sapo NOTE: Text published by Sapo on 16 December 2021 and updated on 2 February 2022 with relevant information by FLOENE
Galp Gás Natural Distribuição (GGND) is now Floene
