The intention of establishing a European Network of Network Operators of Hydrogen (ENNOH) in the course of 2025 has moved closer today, following agreement among future Hydrogen Transmission Network Operators (HTNOs) on draft rules required in order to establish this new network. Addressing today’s meeting, EU Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson took the opportunity to underline the crucial importance that the Commission places in ENNOH in terms of developing a European hydrogen infrastructure. She recalled that this association would have the task to plan and manage the hydrogen infrastructure and to develop market rules for its efficient operation. While it will now be up to the Commission and the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) to evaluate these drafts – which cover the Articles of Association, Rules of Procedures, and List of Members – the fact that the future HTNOs have been able to reach agreement on these elements bodes well for the remaining steps in the process and for future cooperation once ENNOH has been established.

EU Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson said: 

'I believe that ENNOH will be critical in delivering our hydrogen targets. ENNOH will play a crucial role as it will focus exclusively on the development of hydrogen networks. It will focus on how to bring the hydrogen from production to consumption locations, thereby responding to the needs of the hydrogen market.'

Background

Under the Hydrogen and Gas Markets Decarbonisation Package, formally signed off by the Council last week, future HTNOs are required to submit the draft documents that were agreed today to ACER and the Commission by 1 September 2024 at the latest. ACER then has 4 months to consult stakeholders and formulate its opinion, and, following this, the Commission has 3 months to publish an opinion. The companies will have 3 months to adjust and finalise the documents, before ENNOH can be established (probably next spring). 

Under the TEN-E Regulation, ENNOH will contribute to the ongoing development of the 2026 hydrogen Ten Year Network Development Plan (TYNDP) – notably in facilitating methodologies which are consistent for gas, electricity and hydrogen. 

ENNOH will also significantly contribute to the establishment of harmonised technical and operational rules to ensure the efficient and safe operation of an interconnected hydrogen system – and avoid different systems as some EU countries progress on hydrogen infrastructure projects more quickly than others and/or might otherwise adopt divergent rules.

Related links

• European Network of Network Operators of Hydrogen (ENNOH)
• Renewable hydrogen
• Hydrogen and decarbonised gas market package