Supporting the Development of a Global Regulatory Framework for Hydrogen and Its Derivatives
With countries urgently seeking to address rising global temperatures, they are increasingly looking towards renewable hydrogen to replace fossil fuels in sectors that are hard-to-electrify or otherwise decarbonise. With last month’s REPowerEU communication calling for the diversification of gas supplies, the European Union has further increased its ambitious hydrogen production target and aims to import an additional 10 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen per year by 2030.
To reach these ambitious goals, strong international partnerships are needed. Canada can leverage its high renewable potential to produce renewable hydrogen for both domestic consumption and export to the EU.
In this context, meetings between the EU and Canada will be held to enhance the dialogues on the production and trade of hydrogen, and to support the development of a global regulatory framework for hydrogen and its derivatives. A first virtual workshop, organised by the PtX Hub in collaboration with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), took place on 28 April 2022.
The workshop aimed to:
- Compare notes on regulatory frameworks for hydrogen in the EU and Canada.
- Discuss elements of a regional/global regulatory framework.
The event gathered speakers from government institutions, the private sector, development partners, academia, and non-governmental organisations.
The agenda of the event can be found here.
Download the slide deck here, including the presentations:
- “Scene Setting on a Global Framework for Hydrogen” by Dr. Laurent Antoni, CEA, Head H2 Production Analysis Task Force, International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (IPHE)
- “The Road to a Global Framework for Hydrogen” by Dr. Uwe Remme, Head of Hydrogen and Alternative Fuels Unit, International Energy Agency (IEA)
- “EU-Canada Dialogue: Supporting the Development of a Global Regulatory Framework for Hydrogen and Its Derivatives” by Barbara Jinks, Programme Manager – Green Gas Delivery and Use, International Renewable Energy Agency, (IRENA)
- “Global Harmonisation of Hydrogen Certification: Opportunities and Barriers” by Maira Kusch, Head of Office, World Energy Council
Watch the recording:
The speakers
Tudor Constantinescu, Principal Advisor to the Director General for Energy, DG ENER, European Commission
Dr. Tudor Constantinescu is Principal Adviser to the Director General for Energy in the European Commission since March 2011. He is an engineer and economist by education. Before joining the Commission, he set up as Executive Director the Buildings Performance Institute Europe. He was the president of the Romanian Agency for Energy Conservation and for the period 2008-2009 he ensured the presidency of the EnR network of European Energy Agencies. Between 1996-2007, he coordinated the energy efficiency and related environmental activities of the Energy Charter Secretariat in Brussels.
Paula Vieira, Executive Director – Fuel Diversification Division, Natural Resources Canada
Paula Vieira is the Executive Director of Fuels Diversification at Natural Resources Canada. For over ten years, Ms. Vieira has been responsible for providing strategic policy direction, program design and delivery related to the production and use of low carbon fuels and thedecarbonisation of transportation. Focus areas include: developing and implementing the Hydrogen Strategy for Canada, fostering greater production and use of clean fuels; enabling the electrification of transportation; encouraging consumer behavioural change; and greening the freight sector. Ms. Vieira is also responsible for advancing Canada’s policy and program expertise in
international fora including, the BioFutures Platform, the Electric Vehicle Initiative and the Hydrogen Initiative under the Clean Energy Ministerial and many others.
Laurent Antoni, CEA, Head H2 production analysis task force at the International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (IPHE)
Dr. Laurent Antoni is Public Affairs manager for hydrogen technologies at CEA Liten. He is a French representative at the International Partnership for Hydrogen and fuels cells in the Economy – IPHE and leading the task force on hydrogen production analysis.
Johannes Baur, Project Leader, DG ENER, European Commission
Project leader in the new unit “Decarbonisation and sustainability of energy sources” in DG ENER, responsible mainly for the revision of the Renewables Energy Directive adopted in 2018. Johannes was Head of Sector for Economic Cooperation, Energy, Transport and Environment at the EU Delegation in Ukraine from 2016-2020 and worked in the Support Group for Ukraine on energy reforms in Ukraine. Before 2014, he occupied different positions in DG ENER and DG MOVE in the area of human resources, internal markets and international relations, including for EU-Russia energy relations and the negotiations of aviation agreements with third countries. Before starting his career at the Commission in 2000, he was working for the Foreign Ministry of Germany and in the private sector.
Aaron Hoskin, Senior Manager Intergovernmental Initiatives, Natural Resources Canada
Dr. Aaron Hoskin is Senior Manager responsible for Federal, Provincial and International activities within the Fuel Diversification Division at Natural Resources Canada. He has over 15 years of experience in fostering greater production and use of low carbon fuels across the economy. He has led and contributed to the development of various programs and policies, aimed to decarbonize Canada’s economy, including The Hydrogen Strategy for Canada, electrification of transportation, electric and alternative fuels infrastructure, and greening government fleets. His work extends internationally, including representing Canada on several initiatives under the Clean Energy Ministerial. He has a Ph. D in chemistry, with a focus on catalytic activation of small molecules, including hydrogen, and methane.
Jens Honnen, Analyst, Adelphi
Jens Honnen works as a consultant on energy policy for the Berlin-based think adelphi. There, he supports the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action in its Energy Partnership with Canada and works on several other projects related to hydrogen. Before joining adelphi, Jens Honnen worked for the German Energy Agency (dena), the IKEM, and WWF. He holds a master’s degree in environmental policy (Lund University and Central European University) and a bachelor’s degree in psychology (University of Groningen).
Uwe Remme, Head of Hydrogen and Alternative Fuels Unit, International Energy Agency (IEA)
Dr. Uwe Remme is Head of the Hydrogen and Alternative Fuels Unit at the International Energy Agency (IEA) and leads the energy supply analysis and modelling within the Energy Technology Perspectives project. Before his current assignment, he was energy modeller at the IEA and contributed as lead author to various IEA publications. Prior to joining the IEA, he worked as researcher at the University Stuttgart.
Barbara Jinks, Programme Manager – Green Gas Delivery and Use, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)
Barbara Jinks has over 35 years in the gas industry, starting as an offshore engineer and working up to international corporate roles. She works now in the Innovation and Technical Centre with intergovernmental organisation IRENA, where she helps IRENA understand the role of green gases and the use of the gas grid to assist decarbonise energy. She has degrees in engineering, environmental protection and law, all of which she says are essential in understanding the role of energy in addressing climate change.
Maira Kusch, Head of Office, World Energy Council Germany
Maira Kusch is Head of Office at World Energy Council – Germany (Weltenergierat – Deutschland e.V.). Previously, she held the position of Senior Manager at WEC – Germany. Before joining the WEC network, Maira Kusch worked as Senior Consultant for energy, environment and mobility at the EPA – European Berlin Brüssel Political Affairs GmbH, a strategic consultancy based in Berlin, and as Policy Advisor for Matthias Groote, MEP, in the Committee on the Environment of the European Parliament.
