Enagás CEO Arturo Gonzalo highlighted the fact that more and more hydrogen projects are making progress and attracting significant investment. This was emphasised at the High-Level Policy Conference of the European Hydrogen Week, held in Brussels from 29 September to 1 October. The CEO highlighted as a "very important" investment the recent announcement by Repsol and Enagás Renovable to develop a large hydrogen plant in Cartagena, which will have the capacity to produce 15,000 tonnes of hydrogen per year.
"Investment decisions (FIDs) are being made," he said, adding that infrastructure is essential for many of the projects being announced: 64% of the projects submitted to the European Hydrogen Bank require infrastructure.
He therefore defended the crucial role of coordination between the European Hydrogen Bank and hydrogen transport network operators (HTNOs), as well as the need to collaborate in the design of EU funding with national governments. "Green hydrogen must continue to be the priority because of its contribution to decarbonisation and to Europe's strategic autonomy," he stressed.
Enagás' CEO took part in a round table discussion moderated by Hydrogen Europe's Policy and Market Director, Daniel Fraile, with the participation of the European Commission's Director of Innovation for Clean Growth and a Low Carbon Economy, Alex Paquot; the CEO of Hellenic Hydrogen, Dimitrios Triantafyllopoulos; the Hydrogen Director of the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE), Santiago González, and the Director of the Government and Executive Affairs Office in Brussels of Siemens Energy, Philipp Offenberg.