Poland is advocating for adjustments to the European Union's rules governing auctions for renewable hydrogen projects, seeking to level the playing field among member states, a senior Polish official disclosed on Thursday.
The EU has set ambitious targets to produce 10 million tons of renewable hydrogen by 2030, utilizing electrolysers that split water using electricity to generate the clean fuel. In April, the EU Hydrogen Bank allocated 720 million euros ($777.31 million) to seven projects during its inaugural auction. However, concerns arose as five out of the seven winning bids were secured by Spain and Portugal, countries with more favorable conditions for solar energy production compared to Poland and Germany.
“We lost to Spain, we lost to Portugal, because they have much better conditions for producing hydrogen from renewable energy sources,” explained Krzysztof Bolesta, Poland's Deputy Climate Minister.
To address disparities and promote fairness in future auctions, Poland is advocating for the creation of national pools within the EU's hydrogen funds allocation process. This proposal aims to ensure that all member states have an equitable opportunity to participate in and benefit from renewable hydrogen initiatives.
“We simply want to encourage the Commission to equalize this competition between countries by creating national baskets,” Bolesta emphasized, highlighting support from countries like the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and France for Poland's initiative.
