The (future) HTNOs take a Step Further Towards the Establishment of ENNOH
A voluntary cooperative structure to start working on ENNOH’s deliverables
(Brussels, 11 December 2024) Today, the future EU hydrogen transmission network operators (HTNOs) have taken an important step towards strengthening a European hydrogen transportation network: they have jointly agreed to establish a temporary, voluntary cooperation and elect a management structure to steer activities during 2025. Labelled as Pre-ENNOH, this initiative will develop preparatory works needed for ENNOH (the European Network of Network Operators for Hydrogen) to fulfil the regulatory tasks allocated by the Hydrogen and Decarbonised Gas Market Package in 2025 and 2026.
The future HTNOs will work according to the draft statutory documents that they submitted to ACER and the European Commission on 30 August 2024, as obligated by the Regulation (EU) 2024/17892. A management structure has been appointed to steer the work in the following months. Pre-ENNOH content and activities would be assumed by ENNOH once this last one is legally established, most likely in Q4 2025.
The elected management structure includes a President, Board members and a Director. The full list is as follows:
- President: Christoph von dem Bussche (Gascade)
- Director: Abel Enríquez
- Board members: Gaetano Mazzitelli (Snam), Nicolas Peugniez (GRTgaz), Szabolcs Ferencz (FGSZ), Sara Kärki (Gasgrid vetyverkot), Agnieszka Ozga (GAZ-SYSTEM), Andra Vlahbei (Transgaz), Arno Büx (Fluxys Hydrogen), Björn Santana Arvidsson (Nordion Energi H2), Detlef Brüggemeyer (Open Grid Europe), Edwina Nyhan (Gas Networks Ireland), Helmie Botter (Gasunie – Hynetwork Services), Luis Ignacio Parada (Enagás Infraestructuras de Hidrógeno), Michal Slabý (NET4GAS), Michael Thomadakis (DESFA), Pedro Furtado (REN Gás), and Rastislav Ňukovič (eustream).
More information about the management members is available here.
Christoph von dem Bussche, Pre-ENNOH President, comments, “Pre-ENNOH will play an essential role in ensuring the adequate preparatory works so that ENNOH can hit the ground running and deliver what is expected according to the EU Regulation. We look forward to working and cooperating with the European Commission, ACER, ENTSO-E, ENTSOG, the EU DSO Entity and other relevant stakeholders during the execution of these preparatory works.”.During the following year, the future HTNOs will develop different preparatory activities related to deliverables that ENNOH is required to publish in 2025 as per the EU regulation , such as the integrated model (October 2025) and the single-sector draft methodology for hydrogen (December 2025), among others. They will also work on founding and legally establishing ENNOH, setting up the secretariat, acquiring the necessary resources and building the required capacities to deliver on ENNOH’s mission effectively.
Mr. von dem Bussche adds a few personal words: “Shaping the hydrogen ramp-up and decarbonising European industry competitively is a major challenge for all stakeholders. With ENNOH, we will make our contribution to a well-connected European hydrogen infrastructure. In my role as president I am looking forward to this task and would also like to say a great thank-you to Pieter van Aartsen for having successfully moderated the ENNOH Foundation Process. His contribution has been invaluable for all the future HTNOs”.
For further information, please get in contact via info@ennoh.eu.Editor's notes:
ENNOH
ENNOH, the European Network of Network Operators for Hydrogen, will be the organisation for the cooperation of the EU Hydrogen Transmission Network Operators (HTNOs). ENNOH’s main mission is to promote the development and proper functioning of the internal market for hydrogen and cross-border trade. ENNOH will aim to ensure the optimal management, coordinated operation and sound technical evolution of the future European hydrogen transmission network.
ENNOH’s work on regulatory/expert tasks and deliverables will include:
In a transitionary phase, Pre-ENNOH will undertake the necessary preparatory work of ENNOH. More information on the ENNOH foundational process, the Pre-ENNOH structure, as well as on its regulatory tasks is available here.