Polish Grid Operator Joins Hydrogen Alliance

The European Commission (EC) has accepted Gaz-System's request to join the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance, the Polish gas grid operator said on September 14.

"Through our membership in the alliance, we would like to show how natural gas can play an important role in the energy transformation in Poland and the entire EU," Gaz-System president Tomasz Stepien said in a statement.

Poland is developing a raft of new gas import projects, including a pipeline from Norway and an expansion in its LNG capacity, as it looks to wind down coal use and diversify away from Russian gas in the coming years. This includes the use of hydrogen and state gas supply company PGNiG is building hydrogen fuelling stations for cars with Japanese manufacturer Toyota.

The EC established the alliance in July, with the goal of supporting the creation of a hydrogen energy market in the EU. The organisation is a collaboration of public authorities, industry and civil society. Brussels also unveiled a strategy to expand hydrogen production and its use in energy over the coming decades. It prioritises the development of renewable energy-derived 'green' hydrogen, but also accepts that gas-based 'blue' hydrogen will be needed to deliver emissions cuts in the shorter term.

The alliance already comprises over 160 companies and dozens of public authorities, research organisations, civil society groups, industry associations and other entities. Recent companies that have joined the alliance include German energy group E.ON in late August and the German Association of Energy and Water Industries and Nordic steelmaker SSAB in early September.