Poland Urges EU for Fairer Competition in Hydrogen Bank Auctions

Poland is calling on the European Union to ensure fairer competition in the upcoming Hydrogen Bank auctions. The country seeks to address perceived disparities and promote equal opportunities for all member states in the hydrogen energy market. This move aims to bolster the development of hydrogen technology and ensure a level playing field, enhancing cooperation and innovation within the EU's green energy initiatives.

Boston Brand Media brings you the latest news - Poland is advocating for changes to the rules governing the European Union's auctions for renewable hydrogen projects to establish a more equitable playing field for member states, a Polish official stated on Thursday.

The EU aims to produce 10 million tons of renewable hydrogen by 2030 using electrolysers, which utilize electricity to split water, creating clean fuel.

The EU Hydrogen Bank, established to finance renewable projects, allocated 720 million euros ($777.31 million) to seven projects in April during the first auction. Five of the seven winning bids originated from Spain and Portugal, where ample sunshine enables solar plants to generate significantly more electricity than in Poland or Germany.

"We lost to Spain, we lost to Portugal, because they have much better conditions for producing hydrogen from renewable energy sources," Poland's Deputy Climate Minister Krzysztof Bolesta told reporters.

Boston Brand Media also found that, to ensure fair competition among bidders, Poland has initiated discussions with the bloc's climate and energy ministers about the idea that the EU should establish national pools for hydrogen funds at the auctions, Bolesta said. He did not provide additional details about Poland's proposed plan.

"We simply want to encourage the Commission to equalize this competition between countries by creating national baskets," he said, noting that the Polish initiative has received support from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and France. The European Commission has stated it plans to learn from the first pilot auction before conducting the next one later this year.

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Source: Reuters‍