By Thomas Kattnig

Green hydrogen is one of the building blocks of our energy transition, making its rapid roll-out immensely important for the future energy system as well as for the economic and social well-being of the EU.

Yet, establishing the supply, demand, infrastructure and production when it comes to hydrogen entails a range of challenges. Hydrogen is both expensive and dependent on proper framework conditions. On the one hand, we must first target its use to sectors that are difficult to electrify and as an energy storage medium. On the other hand, we must ensure that the necessary conditions are created for a rapid and efficient expansion of hydrogen infrastructure.

Three points are particularly crucial here:

1. The necessary financing of the infrastructure must be ensured. Since building transport infrastructure will entail significant costs, the EESC underlines the importance of the efficient allocation of resources. This will require smart and integrated planning, including across borders, and a regulatory regime that enables necessary investments in the infrastructure while promoting the environmental sustainability of the energy system as a whole and protecting network users from excessive network charges. At the same time, additional burdens in the form of cross-subsidisation of hydrogen grids by gas grid users certainly need to be avoided. This is especially important since the future users of the hydrogen grid infrastructure differ considerably from today's gas grid users. It is therefore important to apply the user-pays principle as far as possible and thus to ensure that hydrogen infrastructure is primarily financed by the users of that infrastructure.
2. In addition to financing, the workforce needed for the expansion and production must be secured. In addition to the creation of new quality jobs, the redeployment of existing workers is particularly important. This means that existing workers need to be properly trained, reskilled and upskilled, and the workforce needs to be retained by offering good working conditions. For example, network operators need to be bound by customary collective agreements and working conditions need to be improved to attract skilled labour. The EESC therefore calls for efficient and conclusive social dialogue in the gas sector at both the European and national level.
3. Uniform, traceable and mandatory certification of hydrogen produced by a central EU scheme must be ensured. In addition to environmental criteria, these certification schemes must also guarantee social standards. These must include fair and safe working conditions and compliance with labour, social and trade union rights.

The EESC therefore calls on the Commission to revise the hydrogen strategy, which was rightly criticised by the European Court of Auditors. In cooperation with civil society at national and European level, it must be ensured that a comprehensive strategy is drawn up, factoring in certification, financing, labour requirements, promotion and consumer protection. It is only then that the European hydrogen industry can have a bright future.