Spain asks Brussels for European funds to finance green hydrogen projects

The Spanish government sent a letter to the European Commission in which it demands that its imminent plan to accelerate Russia’s energy disconnection prioritize projects based on sustainable hydrogen that are being developed in Spain and financed with EU funds.

The letter, dated May 6 and signed by the Vice President for the Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera, was sent to the Vice President of the EU Executive for the Green Deal, Frans Timmermans, and the Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson just a week before Brussels presents its RePower EU strategy.

In the text, advanced by El País and to which EFE has had access, Ribera stresses that the analysis he is making to the Commission on the projects necessary to reduce the bloc’s dependence on Russian gas in the short term “should not be isolated from the long-term path towards climate neutrality.”

PRIORITISE TRANSPORT FROM SPAIN

“This means prioritising the transport and trade of renewable hydrogen from where it is produced in a competitive way, as in southern Europe (Spain), to the rest of the EU, while optimising existing infrastructures and capacities, such as regasification plants,” he adds.

Thus, the selection of projects must be “coherent” with the objective of reducing energy dependence and also be aligned with the Green Deal and with international commitments in the fight against climate change.

“In all these cases, the EU should contribute sufficient funds for these projects, particularly under the current circumstances,” the letter adds.

Secondly, Spain transfers to Brussels that the RePower EU plan “should reinforce the development of renewable energy sources that is underway” and contemplate a “relevant” role for energy storage.

ACCELERATING THE POTENTIAL OF RENEWABLES

“Accelerating the full potential of renewables in the EU is key to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy dependence and creates jobs in relevant economic sectors, stimulating the development of new technologies and business models,” he emphasizes.

In this line, Spain advocates “promoting more” research, development and innovation in the field of solar panels, also with respect to new materials, and strengthening the value chain at European level.

It also calls on the EU Executive for a “specific framework” for energy storage projects, whose technologies are “clear facilitators” on the path towards a decarbonised economy.

The last point of the letter suggests to the European Commission that the next meeting of Energy Managers of the Twenty-seven will serve to reflect on potential changes in the design of the European electricity market, following the report recently prepared by ACER.

In the opinion of the Spanish Government, this report “confirms that the current design (of the EU electricity system) is not suitable for the future”, but also does not provide “any idea to improve the correct response to its limitations”.

It also criticizes the letter that the ACER document does not include any mention of the “need” to improve electricity interconnections although “it recognizes that the lower the interconnection, the lower the liquidity of the market.”

Source: Sport