The 2nd Business Forum on “The future of green hydrogen”, organised by El Economista on 8 May, addressed, among other things, the differences between the various types of hydrogen and the advantages and challenges of producing this energy vector.
Enagás’ Strategy and Planning Director, María Teresa Nonay, took part in the round table debate on decarbonisation alongside Redexis’ Director of Business Diversification, Miguel Mayrata; Naturgy’s Hydrogen Projects Developer, Miguel Ángel Rodríguez; AON Spain’s Head of Energy Transition, José Ángel Pagola Iturralde; and Nortegas’ Chief Operating Officer, Juan Villar. The Deputy Director of El Economista, Rubén Esteller, acted as moderator.
María Teresa Nonay said that Enagás is fully aligned with REPowerEU, the clear-cut roadmap set out by the European Commission. She also noted that “this year is going to be the year of hydrogen” and stressed the “importance of investing in pan-European hydrogen infrastructures and corridors”.
Enagás’ Strategy and Planning Director explained that H2MED is a European integration project that aims to connect renewable hydrogen produced on the Spanish mainland with Europe via France. She said that this project, promoted by the Spanish, French and Portuguese governments, subsequently joined by Germany and supported by the European Union, is expected to be included in the list of Projects of Common Interest (PCI) eligible for European funding at the end of this year. She also mentioned that Enagás is working on the Spanish hydrogen backbone, also put forward to the PCIs. “Enagás is a driving force in the hydrogen market and is actively working to get these projects off the ground as quickly as possible,” she stressed.
Regarding the regulatory framework for hydrogen, Nonay said that “the definition of the European policy, and also how it is transposed at national level, will be crucial”. She pointed out that 2023 will be a year of important progress both in Europe and in Spain, and highlighted a very important milestone in our country: the introduction of the renewable gas guarantee of origin system by Enagás GTS, in line with the Spanish government’s More Energy Security Plan.
