20 Amendments of Nicola BEER related to 2020/0360(COD)
Amendment 248 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) The Commission has set out, in its Communication of 11 December 2019 entitled ‘The European Green Deal’21 , a new growth strategy that aims to transform the Union into a fair and prosperous society, with a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy, where there are no net emissions of greenhouse gases in 2050 and where economic growth is decoupled from resource use. The Commission’s communication on the Climate Target Plan22 proposing to increase the greenhouse gas emissions’ reduction level to at least 55% by 2030 - an ambition that was endorsed by the European Council on 11 December 2020 - and its underlying impact assessment confirms that the energy mix of the future will be very different from the one of today and underpins the necessity to review and if necessary to revise the energy legislation. The current energy infrastructure investments are clearly insufficient to transform and build the energy infrastructure of the future. That also means infrastructure needs to be in place to support the European energy transition, including rapid electrification, scaling up of renewable electricity generation, the increased use of renewable and low-carbon gases, energy system integration and a higher uptake of innovative and digital solutions. _________________ 21 Commission Communication - The European Green Deal, COM(2019) 640 final of 11 December 2019. 22 Commission Communication - Stepping up Europe’s 2030 climate ambition, Investing in a climate-neutral future for the benefit of our people, COM(2020) 562 final of 17 September 2020
Amendment 261 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) The TEN-E policy is a central instrument in the development of an internal energy market and necessary to achieve the European Green Deal objectives. To achieve climate neutrality by 2050 and higher levels of greenhouse gas emission reductions by 2030, Europe will need a more integrated energy system, relying on higher levels of electrification based on renewable sources and the decarbonisation of the gas sector. The TEN-E policy can ensure that the Union energy infrastructure development supports the required energy transition to climate neutrality, putting security of supply, energy affordability and environmental sustainability in line with the energy efficiency first principle.
Amendment 267 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) The Union’s energy infrastructure should be upgraded in order to prevent technical failure and to increase its resilience against suchtechnical failure, natural or man-made disasters, adverse effects of climate change and threats to its security, in particular as regards European critical infrastructures pursuant to Council Directive 2008/114/EC26 . _________________ 26 OJ L 345, 23.12.2008, p. 75.
Amendment 276 #
(11) Security of supply, as one main driver behind Regulation (EU) No 347/2013, has been significantly improved through projects of common interest. Moreover, the Commission’s climate target impact assessment27 expects the consumption of natural gas to be reduced significantly because its non-abated use is not compatible with carbon-neutrality. On the other hand, the consumption of biogas, renewable and low-carbon hydrogen and synthetic gaseous fuels will increase significantly towards 2050. Therefore, the natural gas infrastructure no longer needs support through the TEN-E policyinfrastructure support through the TEN-E policy should be technology neutral and based on life cycle emissions assessments to avoid future lock-in effects. The planning of energy infrastructure should reflect this changing gas landscape. _________________ 27 SWD(2020) 176 final
Amendment 287 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) The Commission’s communication on energy system integration underlines the need for integrated energy infrastructure planning across production pathways, energy carriers, infrastructures, and consumption sectors. Such system integration starts from the point of departure of applying the energy efficiency first principle and taking a holistic approach beyond individual sectors. It also addresses the decarbonisation needs of the hard to abate sectors, such as parts of industry or certain modes of transport, where direct electrification is, currently, technically or economically challenging. Such investments include hydrogen and electrolysers, which are progressing towards commercial large-scale deployment. The Commission’s Hydrogen Strategy gives priority to hydrogen production from renewable electricity, which is the cleanest solution and is most compatible with the EU climate neutrality objective. In a transitional phase however, other forms of low-carbon hydrogen are needed to more rapidly replace existing hydrogen and kick-start arealize a cost-competitive EU hydrogen economy based on economyies of scale, innovation and learning effects.
Amendment 300 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) Moreover, the Commission’s Hydrogen Strategy29 concluded that for the required deployment of hydrogen at cost- efficient scale, a large- scale infrastructure network is an important element that only the Union and the single market can offer. There is currently very limited dedicated infrastructure in place to transport and trade hydrogen across borders. Such should consist of a significant extent of assets converted from natural gas, complemented by new assets dedicated to hydrogen. Furthermore, the Hydrogen Strategy sets a strategic goal to increase installed electrolyser capacity to 40 GW by 2030 in order to scale up the production of renewable hydrogen and facilitate the decarbonisation of fossil-fuel dependent sectors, such as industry or transport. Therefore, the TEN-E policy should include new and repurposed hydrogen transmission infrastructure and storage as well as electrolyser facilities. Hydrogen transmission and storage infrastructure should also be included in the Union-wide ten-year network development plan so as to allow a comprehensive and consistent assessment of their costs and benefits for the energy system, including their contribution to sector integration and decarbonisation, with the aim of creating a hydrogen backbone for the Union. _________________ 29A hydrogen strategy for a climate- neutral Europe, COM(2020) 301 final.
Amendment 308 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) Moreover, a new infrastructure category should be created for smart gas grids to support investments which integrate renewable and low carbon gases such as biogas, biomethane, and hydrogen, in the network and help manage a resulting more complex system, building on innovative and digital technologies.
Amendment 318 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) Regulation (EU) No 347/2013 requires a candidate project of common interest to prove a significant contribution to at least one criterion from a set of criteria in the process for the elaboration of the Union list, which may, but does not need to, include sustainability. That requirement, in line with the specific needs of the internal energy market at the time, enabled development of projects of common interest which addressed only security of supply risks even if they did not demonstrate benefits in terms of sustainability. However, given the evolution of the Union infrastructure needs and the decarbonisation goals, the Conclusions of the 2020 July European Council, according to which “Union expenditure should be consistent with Paris Agreement objectives and the "do no harm" principle of the European Green Deal, sustainability in terms of the integration of renewable energy sources into the grid or the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, as relevant, should be assessed in order to ensure that TEN-E policy is coherent with energy and climate policy objectives of the Union. The sustainability of CO2 transport networks is addressed by their purpose to transport carbon dioxide, to allow for cost-effective decarbonisation .
Amendment 329 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) The Union should facilitate infrastructure projects linking the Union’s energy networks with third-country networks that are mutually beneficial and necessary for the energy transition and the achievement of theinternational climate targets, and which also meet the specific criteria of the relevant infrastructure categories pursuant to this Regulation, in particular with neighbouring countries and with countries with which the Union has established specific energy cooperation. Therefore, this Regulation should include in its scope projects of mutual interest where they are sustainable and able to demonstrate significant net socio-economic benefits for at least two Member States and at least one third country. Such projects would be eligible for inclusion in the Union list upon conditions of regulatory approximation with the Union,, demonstrated effective implementation thereof and upon demonstrating a contribution to the Union’s overall energy and climate objectives in terms of security of supply and decarbonisation. Such regulatory alignment or convergence should be presumed for the European Economic Area or Energy Community Contracting Parties. In addition, the third country with which the Union cooperates in the development of projects of mutual interest should facilitate a similar timeline for accelerated implementation and other policy support measures, as stipulated in this Regulation. Therefore, in this Regulation, projects of mutual interest should be considered in the same manner as projects of common interest with all provisions relative to projects of common interest applying also to projects of mutual interest, unless otherwise specified.
Amendment 344 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) It is important to ensure that only infrastructure projects for which no reasonable alternative solutions exist may receive the status of project of common interest. For that purpose, the infrastructure gaps identification will follow the energy efficiency first principle and consider with priority all relevant non-infrastructure related solutions, including demand side management and other flexibility solutions, including those provided by active customers 32a, electric vehicles and behind-the-meter storage, to address the identified gaps. In addition, during project application and implementation, project promoters should report on the compliance with environmental legislation and demonstrate that projects do no significant harm to the environment in accordance with Article 17 of Regulation (EC) 2020/85233 . For existing projects of common interest having reached sufficient maturity, this will be taken into account during project selection for subsequent Union list by the regional groups. _________________ 32aDirective (EU) 2019/944 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019 on common rules for the internal market for electricity and amending Directive 2012/27/EU (OJ L 158, 14.6.2019, p. 125). 33Regulation (EU) 2020/852 on the establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable investment, and amending Regulation (EU) 2019/2088, OJ L 198, 22.6.2020, p. 13
Amendment 779 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – Part 2 – point 4 – introductory part
Annex I – Part 2 – point 4 – introductory part
(4) Northern Seas offshore grids (‘NSOG’): integrated offshore electricity and hydrogen grids development and the related interconnectors in the North Sea, the Irish Sea, the English Channel and neighbouring waters to transport electricity and hydrogen from renewable offshore energy sources to centres of consumption and storage and to increase cross-border electricitrenewable energy exchange.
Amendment 780 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – Part 2 – point 5 – introductory part
Annex I – Part 2 – point 5 – introductory part
(5) Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan offshore grids (‘BEMIP offshore’): integrated offshore electricity and hydrogen grids development and the related interconnectors in the Baltic Sea and neighbouring waters to transport electricity and hydrogen from renewable offshore energy sources to centres of consumption and storage and to increase cross-border electricitrenewable energy exchange.
Amendment 781 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – Part 2 – point 6 – introductory part
Annex I – Part 2 – point 6 – introductory part
(6) South and East offshore grids: integrated offshore electricity and hydrogen grids development and the related interconnectors in the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and neighbouring waters to transport electricity and hydrogen from renewable offshore energy sources to centres of consumption and storage and to increase cross-border electricitrenewable energy exchange.
Amendment 785 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – Part 2 – point 7 – introductory part
Annex I – Part 2 – point 7 – introductory part
(7) South Western Europe offshore grids: integrated offshore electricity and hydrogen grids development and the related interconnectors in the North Atlantic Ocean waters to transport electricity and hydrogen from renewable offshore energy sources to centres of consumption and storage and to increase cross-border electricitrenewable energy exchange.
Amendment 854 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point a
Annex II – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point a
(a) transmission pipelines for the transport of hydrogen, including the repurposed natural gas infrastructure, giving access to multiple network users on a transparent and non-discriminatory basis, which mainly contains high-pressure hydrogen pipelines, excluding pipelines for the local distribution of hydrogen;
Amendment 880 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point d – paragraph 1
Annex II – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point d – paragraph 1
Any of the assets listed in points (a), (b), (c), and (d) may be newly constructed assets or assets convertrepurposed from natural gas dedicated to hydrogen, or a combination of the two. Hydrogen infrastructure as listed in points (a), (b), (c), and (d) may be used in a transitional period for the purpose of blends of hydrogen with methane or methane.
Amendment 896 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 1 – point e
Article 22 – paragraph 1 – point e
(e) for the electricity and the hydrogen sectors, the evolution of the interconnection level between Member States, the corresponding evolution of energy prices, as well as the number of network system failure events, their causes and related economic cost;
Amendment 1014 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point a
Annex II – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point a
(a) transmission pipelines for the transport of hydrogen, giving access to multiple network users on a transparent and non-discriminatory basis, which mainly contains high-pressure hydrogen pipelines, excluding pipelines for the local distribution of hydrogenincluding repurposed natural gas infrastructure;
Amendment 1030 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point c
Annex II – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point c
(c) reception, compression, storage and regasification or decompression facilities for liquefied hydrogen or hydrogen embedded in other chemical substances with the objective of injecting the hydrogen into the grid;
Amendment 1040 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point d – paragraph 1
Annex II – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point d – paragraph 1
Any of the assets listed in points (a), (b), (c), and (d) may be newly constructed assets or assets converted from natural gas dedicated to hydrogen, or a combination of the two. During a transitional period, energy infrastructure as listed in points (a), (b), (c), and (d) may be used for low- carbon gas blends, based on life cycle emissions assessments to avoid future lock-in effects.