Source: European Parliament
The Commission’s reply to the Court’s observations and recommendations was published alongside the audit[1].
The REPowerEU Plan[2] suggested an aspirational target of 10 million tonnes of EU renewable hydrogen production and 10 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen imports by 2030 to lower the imports of Russian fossil fuels, proposing to increase the mandatory targets for renewable hydrogen consumption in industry and the transport sector[3].The co-legislators however decided on a lower level of binding targets under the Renewable Energy Directive[4].
In addition, the co-legislators also agreed on mandatory targets for renewable hydrogen consumption in industry in 2035 and laid out pathways in the aviation[5] and maritime[6] sector to promote the uptake of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen up to 2050.
The Commission is currently working with Member States, including through an assessment of their National Energy and Climate Plans, to ensure the timely transposition of the mandatory demand volumes decided by the co-legislators in industry and transport.
- [1] Available at: https://www.eca.europa.eu/Lists/ECAReplies/COM-Replies-SR-2024-11/COM-Replies-SR-2024-11_EN.pdf
- [2] COM(2022) 230 final.
- [3] The annex to the REPowerEU Plan (SWD(2022)230 final assesses that 8 m tons of this higher renewable hydrogen production and import could replace EU natural gas demand of 27 billion cubic meters.
- [4] Directive (EU) 2023/2413.
- [5] Regulation (EU) 2023/2405.
- [6] Regulation (EU) 2023/1805.