The Hydrogen Revolution and Natural Gas:A New Dawn in the European Union?

This chapter will take a look at the European Union and its approach to a new gas world that will be dominated by hydrogen. What steps need to be taken to get there? What policy plans are in place? And what does the current legal framework say about all of this? The chapter will address these questions by providing a brief overview of the role of hydrogen in the future as a substitute and/or supplement for natural gas in the European gas system. It will then proceed to discuss hydrogen policy plans in the European Union across various sectors, such as industry, transport, energy infrastructure and construction, and provide an outlook on the required investments. Afterwards, it provides an overview of applicable European legislation before concluding with some observations on the interplay between policy and law in enhancing hydrogen usage in the European Union