Activities of Robert HAJŠEL related to 2023/2123(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
European Hydrogen Bank (A9-0379/2023 - Robert Hajšel) (vote)
Reports (1)
REPORT on the European Hydrogen Bank
Amendments (45)
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 9 a (new)
Citation 9 a (new)
– having regard to the Commission proposal of 20 June 2023 for a Council regulation amending Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021 to 2027 (COM(2023)0337),
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 9 b (new)
Citation 9 b (new)
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas hydrogen can be used as a feedstock, a fuel or an energy carrier and has the potential to decarbonise hard-to- abate industries and heavy transport, for which direct electrification is not technologically possible or competitive;
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas the total investment required to meet the target of a domestic production of 10 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen is estimated at EUR 335-471 billion, and an additional EUR 500 billion of investment will be required to secure the import of the envisaged amount of renewable hydrogen;
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)
Recital D b (new)
Db. whereas the Commission estimates the price of renewable hydrogen in the EU to be between 2.5 and 5.5 euros/kg, which is driven by the price of renewable electricity and electrolysers, while the price of fossil fuel-based hydrogen is around 1.5 euros/kg;
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D c (new)
Recital D c (new)
Dc. whereas the cost of electrolysers has already been reduced by 60% in the last ten years and is expected, according to the Commission, to be halved in 2030 due to economies of scale;
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas the European Investment Bank has stressed the potential of African countries in producing renewable hydrogen at a cost between 1.55 and 1.90 euros/kg at the delivery point in 2035, while the International Energy Agency has identified locations in Latin America, the Middle East and Asia where costs could be kept below 2 euros per kg in the long term;
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E b (new)
Recital E b (new)
Eb. whereas global economic partners and competitors, including the US and China, are providing strong financial support to their domestic production of renewable hydrogen, including the US Inflation Reduction Act that promotes renewable hydrogen with a tax credit up to 3 dollars per kg;
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas a market for renewable hydrogen remains to be built and will require appropriate customer protection and significant investments in infrastructures for the production, storage, transport, distribution, and consumption of hydrogen;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Acknowledges that the production of renewable hydrogen is energy intensive; notes that reaching the targets for renewable hydrogen will require ramping up the manufacturing of electrolysers that contain critical raw materials; notes also that this would require a significant expansion of renewable electricity capacity and an upgrade of the power grid; welcomes the Commission’s proposals for a Net-Zero Industry Act, a Critical Raw Materials Act and the revision of the Renewable Energy Directive that would contribute to secure, competitive and resilient value chains for renewable hydrogen;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Reminds that the International Energy Agency estimates that 32% of the global electrolyser capacity will be located in Europe by 2030 if all planned projects are materialised; stresses the need to maintain and enhance the Union’s global leadership on hydrogen by developing an innovative and efficient market that connects producers with consumers using adequate infrastructures;
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 c (new)
Paragraph 2 c (new)
2c. Strongly supports streamlined and faster permitting procedures across the entire value chain in order to ramp up the production of renewable hydrogen and foster innovation; insists on retaining the current high level of environmental protection when assessing permit applications, while streamlining certain environmental-related aspects of the permit-granting procedures and administrative processes for renewable energy projects;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Emphasises that private funding will be instrumental in building a European market for renewable hydrogen and that an efficient market, once developed, should not be dependent on public subsidies;
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Considers that the delegated acts on renewable liquid and gaseous fuels of non-biological origin would increase predictability and certainty for investors; welcomes the Commission’s proposal for a hydrogen and decarbonised gas market package; insists on providing a coherent and stable regulatory environment to the industry;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Underlines that hydrogen production via electrolysis is water- intensive, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency, hydrogen production via electrolysis is water-intensive and consumes between 18 and 24 kg of water per kg of hydrogen; highlights that water consumption is even higher when considering the upstream value chain; calls on the Commission and the Member States to pay specific attention to resource efficiency and to the Water Framework Directive, in particular for regions at risk of drought;
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Recalls that there are around 5 000 km of hydrogen pipelines globally today, compared to approximately 3 million km of natural gas pipelines; stresses the need for securing appropriate infrastructure for the transport, distribution and storage of hydrogen; calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure public investment, and encourage private investment, in new installations for hydrogen and for the repurposing of those currently used for natural gas;
Amendment 64 #
5. Emphasises that Hydrogen Valleys play an important role in clustering all segments of the hydrogen value chain, fostering innovation and contributing to the local economy;
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Welcomes the Commission’s decision to launch a first pilot auction to support renewable hydrogen; takes note of the budget of EUR 800 million over 10 years; calls on the Commission to engage rapidly in the implementation and assessment of this pilot auction;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Acknowledges the choice of the Commission to provide support in the form of a fixed premium in the first pilot auction; insists on setting a fixed premium for future auctions equivalent to that proposed by the US under the Inflation Reduction Act; asks the Commission to consider complementary mechanisms such as grants, contracts for difference and, carbon contracts for difference or tax credits;
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Reiterates the importance of geographical balance to enable the production and use of renewable hydrogen across the EU; calls on the Commission to develop regional auctions; urges the Commission to develop regional auctions and, for that purpose, define regions that would be sufficiently large to secure adequate competition while ensuring geographical balance; requests the Commission to propose an allocation key with the aim to share the financial envelope between the different regions on an equal footing;
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Calls on the Commission to provide technical assistance to Member States with a low level of participation as provided for in the latest revision of the ETS Directive; stresses that such support should encourage the participation of applicants from all Member States in the auctions under the EHB;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Stresses that the design of future auctions should restrict the sale of renewable hydrogen to hard-to-abate industries and heavy transport; insists that such restrictions should be included in the eligibility criteria;
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Asks the Commission to not only consider price, but also to include a clear system of bonus points for the ranking of bids; notes that such a system should reward bids that deliver the highest level of sustainability or lead to significant job creation and promote high-quality traineeships, apprenticeships and the reskilling or upskilling of workers; considers that such a system could account for a maximum of 30% in the weighting of the ranking criteria and should be used at least as a tiebreaker to distinguish between bids requiring the same level of public financial support;
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Agrees with the Commission that financial support from auctions, with exceptions prescribed in the terms and conditions of each auction, should not be cumulative with public support at national level;
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)
Paragraph 11 b (new)
11b. Believes that disbursing the fixed premium on a semi-annual instead of an annual basis would enhance the cash flow of producers and possibly increase the number of applications;
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Welcomes the Commission’s idea of launching the concept of ‘auctions as a service’; considers that this could lower the administrative costs for the Member States; suggests an evaluation before extending this concept to other forms of support;
Amendment 120 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Suggests that the EHB should be able to provide dedicated advice to private actors concerning the development of renewable hydrogen installations in the EU; believes that such a service could rely on the expertise of the European Investment Bank; proposes that the activities of the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance are included under the EHB;
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 b (new)
Paragraph 12 b (new)
12b. Stresses the importance of limiting the fragmentation of EU entities dealing with hydrogen; proposes to include the activities of the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking, and especially the Fuel Cell Hydrogen Observatory, in the framework of the EHB; insists that such inclusion should not reduce public investment for research, development and innovation;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 c (new)
Paragraph 12 c (new)
12c. Calls on the Commission to task the EHB to coordinate the collection of all relevant data, issued by the Commission, international organisations or the industry, in relation to hydrogen production, storage, transport, distribution and consumption; notes that those data should be made, whenever possible, publicly available, and could be used in the decision process for the approval of hydrogen-related projects under the revised TEN-E regulation;
Amendment 123 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. NotWelcomes the Commission’s intention to assess the possible extension of demand aggregation and joint auctioning to renewable hydrogen; takes note that the Commission is exploring options for an instrument inspired by the transparency provisions of the EU Energy Platformjoint purchasing mechanism established under the Council Regulation (EU) 2022/2576, as it can contribute to the development of the domestic renewable hydrogen market and to securing imports of renewable hydrogen; stresses that joint purchases would also facilitate investments in renewable hydrogen generation capacity, ensure supply of renewable hydrogen at affordable prices, and prevent European consumers from outbidding each other;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Calls for an evaluation of the EU Energy Platform and the joint purchases of gas established by the Council under Article 122 TFEU; calls on the Commission to start working on a legislative proposal under the ordinary legislative procedure to extend the duration of the EU Energy PlatformExpresses support for turning the joint purchasing mechanism under the EU Energy Platform into a permanent mechanism and extending it to renewable hydrogen; calls also for a comprehensive evaluation of the mechanism; insists that joint purchasing of renewable hydrogen should be accompanied by adequate company cooperation models, including a consortium and guarantee schemes, in order to allow for the effective engagement of smaller companies and SMEs;
Amendment 128 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Calls on Member States to use green public procurement in order to favour goods produced with renewable hydrogen;
Amendment 136 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Condemns the unlawful invasion of Ukraine by Russia; supports the reconstruction of the country and the development of a closer relationship with the EU; highlights the potential of this country in producing renewable hydrogen;
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Recalls that the CBAM will apply to hydrogen; emphasises the important role of the EU as a global standard setter and calls on the Commission to deliver a robust certification scheme for imports of renewable hydrogen, equivalent to the rules applying to domestic production;
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Insists that investment in renewable hydrogen from third countries should be subject to international due diligence principles, including but not limited to the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct (RBC);
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Urges the Commission to prepare guidelines with clear criteria forconcerning the selectionigibility for EU support of producers from non-EU countries that would be eligible for support, based on geopolitical risks, alignment with EU values and commitment to sustainability;
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Notes that the Commission has not so far come up with a financial instrument to support imports of renewable hydrogen; encourages cooperation between the EHB and programmes set up by Member States;
Amendment 166 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
Paragraph 19 b (new)
19b. Stresses the need of dedicated staff to pursue the operations of the EHB and asks for adequate funding in this respect; suggests to set up a taskforce for the EHB with staff from all concerned services of the Commission;
Amendment 175 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Expresses concerns about the overall budget of the EHB compared to the subsidies given by economic partners and competitors, in particular China and the USA; encourages the Commission to expand the share of the Innovation Fund dedicated to the EHB and use the midterm; welcomes, in that regard, the Commission proposal for a reviewsion of the multiannual financial framework (MFF) to increase the resources, which proposes five additional billion euros to be allocated to the Innovation Fund; requests a significant share of this top-up to be allocated to the EHB;
Amendment 179 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. IWelcomes the Commission’s intention to streamline the use of EU funding for hydrogen projects, as well as the legislative proposal for a Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP); calls on the Commission to avoid any potential overlap between the EHB and the Sovereignty portal mentioned in that legislative proposal; insists on making the EHB the single point of contact for providing information on EUavailable funding available tot EU and national level for the support of renewable hydrogen projects; proposes to merge the Hydrogen Public Funding Compass with the EHB and include information on all relevant financial instruments, including but not limited to the Connecting Europe Facility, Horizon Europe and the Innovation Fund, with regular updates at least on a monthly basis;
Amendment 182 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Suggests that the EHB sets up a rapid simulator to assess the eligibility for EU funding, which could be used by stakeholders interested in setting up renewable hydrogen projects; notes that such a simulator could be used by industry, in particular SMEs, to help them orient themselves before applying for support, but it should not be legally binding nor request confidential information;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 b (new)
Paragraph 22 b (new)
22b. Calls on the Commission to set up a dedicated website for the EHB with centralised relevant information pertaining to the activities of the EHB, including the available funding at EU and national level for renewable hydrogen projects, the potential advisory services of the EHB, the latest developments on the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance, the activities of the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking and the Fuel Cell Hydrogen Observatory, the state of hydrogen infrastructures and the latest available data on hydrogen flows (production, storage, transport and consumption); stresses that this dedicated website should also be an interactive platform allowing stakeholders to directly apply for EU funding;
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 c (new)
Paragraph 22 c (new)
22c. Stresses the need to continuously monitor the cost of production and the market price of renewable hydrogen in order to detect cases where EU financial support could lead to excessive profits for private companies; notes that it should be possible, under certain circumstances, for the Commission to reclaim those excessive profits; highlights that EU support should cease once the market price of renewable hydrogen becomes competitive;
Amendment 185 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 d (new)
Paragraph 22 d (new)
22d. Welcomes the two Important Projects of Common European Interest on hydrogen; encourages Member States to allocate parts of the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the Cohesion Fund, the Modernisation Fund and the Just Transition Fund to renewable hydrogen projects;
Amendment 186 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 e (new)
Paragraph 22 e (new)
22e. Calls on the European Investment Bank to enhance access to finance for renewable hydrogen projects; asks the EIB to provide zero-rate or guaranteed loans, assisting in securing long-term financing and enabling equity and other investments in relevant projects;