D2.3 – Final document review on specific technical, RCS barriers, enablers and innovations
With the focus on infrastructure, european legal, and technical framework, european sector initiatives, certification and national frameworks the final review on barriers, enablers, and innovations of hydrogen compitability in high-pressure grids is now elaborated.
The high-pressure transmission gas grid is substantially hydrogen-ready. Some parts of the gas grid still need additional monitoring and approval through single tests and observations. Especially, facility equipment like compressors, gas meters etc. are to be checked on their capabilities to handle certain hydrogen concentrations, avoiding damages or major incidents. A general assertation on their hydrogen readiness cannot be stated.
Acknowledging that many countries and organisations are already comprehensively preparing the technical and legal framework for the national and European level, especially the standardization, certification and legislation require expedite adaptions to build an appropriate and reliable basis for the safe use of hydrogen in the gas grid and to ensure the secure environment for the investment needed for an accelerated upgrading of the hydrogen energy system at gas transmission and distribution level. The proposals of the European Commission for the revision of gas package will give the development a significant orientation.