nucleareurope presents recommendations on net zero hydrogen at Hungarian Presidency workshop
On 9 July, nucleareurope Technology Advisor Guilherme Cardoso participated in a workshop organised by the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU, on the topic of the future of low-carbon hydrogen in Europe. The workshop gathered representatives from EU Member States, European institutions and a variety of hydrogen related industries.
In his intervention, Guilherme stressed that nuclear is set to play an essential role in the production of net zero hydrogen, and outlined nucleareurope’s recommendations to the European Commission on the Delegated Act on the Gas Package. He insisted on the need for a level playing field that accommodates all sources and methods of producing decarbonised fuels, and on the importance of the adoption of a full life-cycle emissions-based classification system, ensuring that the environmental impact of the various energy sources is accurately assessed from production to end use. He added that the Delegated Act should include provisions to allow consumers to produce their own hydrogen and for existing nuclear power plants to produce hydrogen.
Detailing the benefits of nuclear for the production of net zero hydrogen, specifically in terms of efficiency of electrolysis, energy security and support to the decarbonisation of intensive industries, Guilherme highlighted that the EU would need all available net zero technologies to achieve sufficient levels of clean hydrogen production. He explained that technology neutrality should guide the drafting of the Delegated Act on the Gas Package, in order to allow a fair legal framework for all net zero technologies supporting the production of hydrogen.
With current hydrogen needs set to significantly increase, the nuclear sector is equipped to participate to the domestic production of important quantities of net zero hydrogen, and welcomes discussion spaces such as the Hungarian Presidency workshop on low-carbon hydrogen, offering collaboration opportunities between institutional and industrial actors.