The regulation of hydrogen infrastructure: new wine in old bottles?

EU Hydrogen Strategy

The regulation of hydrogen infrastructure

In the first debate of the series, we will aim to tackle the fundamental question of whether the future hydrogen infrastructure will inevitably exhibit similar features to the natural gas and electricity networks and should be regulated in a similar way.

Watch the recording:

In this context, we will try to address the following questions:

• Should regulation disincentivise parallel delivery networks, reserving a preference for existing TSOs to replace/upgrade existing networks or should regulation foster competing networks?
• Will the hydrogen network necessarily exhibit the same ‘essential facility’ features – i.e. that it not easily or economically duplicated and tends to be a natural monopoly – so that access conditions and tariffs need to be regulated?
• Should the regulation follow the same approach as for gas? Ex ante regulation as opposed to ex-post tariff control?

#FSRDebates

The event will be hosted by the FSR Energy Union Law Director, Leigh Hancher.

Programme:

14.00 – 14.05   Introduction to the Debate

Alberto Pototschnig | Florence School of Regulation

14.05 – 14.15   The EU Hydrogen Strategy

Tudor Constantinescu | DG ENER, European Commission

14.15 – 14.25   The Hydrogen Sector cost structure

Piero Dos Reis | Florence School of Regulation

Panel Discussion: Introductory Remarks, Polls, and Comments

Moderator:  Leigh Hancher | Florence School of Regulation and Tilburg University

14.25 – 14.45    Introductory remarks
Christopher Jones| Florence School of Regulation
Jorgo Chatzimarkakis | Hydrogen Europe 
Stephan Kamphues | ENTSOG
Anneke Francois | ACM (Dutch NRA)

14.45 – 15.20    Polls and Q&A from the audience

15.20 – 15.30    Concluding remarks

Tudor Constantinescu | DG ENER, European Commission
Leigh Hancher | Florence School of Regulation and Tilburg University
Alberto Pototschnig | Florence School of Regulation

More about the FSR series

Started in September 2020, the new FSR series cover a wide range of topics and formats to meet the changing needs of the energy sector and the interests of our audience, across cutting-edge research, regulatory debate, and policy dialogue.

The focus of the debate series is on recent court cases, regulatory decisions, EU legislation, or public consultations to be discussed by a panel of experts.

Hosts: Prof. Leigh Hancher and Prof. Alberto Pototschnig