Certification of green and renewable hydrogen
Hydrogen plays a decisive role for climate protection and a secure energy supply in Germany and Europe. Within the framework of the national hydrogen strategy, the German government is promoting the expansion of the infrastructure and advocating for uniform verification of the origin of hydrogen produced from renewable electricity by means of electrolysis, so-called "green hydrogen".
Legal requirements and Delegated Act on green hydrogen
There are no concrete legal requirements for green hydrogen yet. Section 93 of the EEG 2023 so far only contains the "authorisation to issue ordinances on requirements for green hydrogen". In addition, Commission Delegated Act (EU) 2023/1184 of 10 February 2023, which defines criteria for renewable fuels of non-biogenic origin for transport (RFNBO), entered into force on 10 July 2023. A very timely amendment of the 37th BImSchV to implement the Delegated Act was already announced by the BMUV in spring.
The criteria listed in the Delegated Act initially apply only to use in the transport sector. However, compliance with these criteria is already mandatory in numerous funding programmes, even irrespective of the application sector.
Why an external audit of the criteria for green hydrogen?
Projects and products that do not meet the criteria of the Delegated Act will experience lower acceptance. Anyone who wants to plan a future-proof electrolysis plant, for example, should already ensure that the criteria of the Delegated Act are met.
We expect secure requirements for verification in the future, analogous to the BioKraft-NachV. Voluntary systems such as ISCC-EU or REDcert-EU will play an important role here in the future - after the criteria have been adapted.
However, GUTcert, as an environmental verification organisation and accredited verification and certification body, already audits and validates projects, plants and products in connection with green hydrogen and the criteria of the Delegated Act.
Marketing green hydrogen via the dena biogas register
Hydrogen can also be accounted for and marketed via the dena biogas register. We also expect the criteria to be adapted in the near future. However, as experts of many years' standing, we are already happy to support you with assessments in the dena biogas register.
Feel free to contact us so that we can clarify your questions on the topic of hydrogen certification and work out a customised solution together.