MEP committee votes to exempt 50MW electrolysers from environmental permitting

Jake Stones

25-May-2023

LONDON (ICIS)–Members of the European Parliament’s committee for Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) voted to adopt its position on rules aimed at reducing pollution and emissions from large agro-industrial installations, while creating allowances for hydrogen installations as a means of decarbonisation.

The industrial emission directive (IED) sets the rules for the reduction of pollution and emissions in agro-industrial installations, indicating whether an installation requires an operating permit or not.

The aim of the IED reforms is to review which industries and installations are covered by the directive, with a general focus on expanding industries to require permitting.

However, when voting on its amendments to the directive, the ENVI committee voted in favour of a proposed amendment to allow clean hydrogen an exemption from permitting. The amendment specifically said an exemption should be granted for electrolysers below 50MW.

This is because renewable or electrolytic hydrogen production would result in reduced water consumption and air pollution in comparison to standard high-emissions hydrogen production, commonly referred to as steam methane reforming.

Hydrogen Europe noted the vote was an important step forward, but also questioned the limit to the capacity, stating that “the size of the plant does not impact the emission profile”.

Although the ENVI vote shows positive sentiment around the inclusion of renewable hydrogen as a means of reducing pollution and industrial emissions, the directive is yet to be adopted. Members of the European Parliament are now scheduled to meet at a July 2023 plenary session to vote on the package, after which the three European legislative bodies will enter debate before voting on final adoption.

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