Hydrogen is key to the European energy transition, and gas distribution companies across Europe are a natural part of the rapid hydrogen development.

Ready4H2 is a project that aims to combine the hydrogen expertise and experiences across the European gas distribution companies creating a common understanding of how the distribution networks can help realize the huge growth potential and deliver the carbon reduction potential of hydrogen utilization.

For decades European gas distributors have shown the ability to deliver cost-effective and safe pipeline distribution and have gained extensive knowledge and experience that can contribute to the transformation of the European energy infrastructure.

The Ready4Hydrogen project consist of three new studies:

1. The gas distribution companies’ hydrogen knowledge: The first analysis will be a collection of the experiences that the European gas distribution companies have with hydrogen projects and hydrogen infrastructure. It will furthermore investigate how the DSOs are involved in their country’s hydrogen developments and how far the country’s hydrogen strategy is evolved
2. How can the gas distributors contribute to the hydrogen value chain: The second analysis will build upon the first analysis by analyzing how the European gas distributors can contribute to the hydrogen development. The gas distributors’ experiences and knowledge will be analyzed and converted into value propositions for the hydrogen value chain. Not just hydrogen experience but also the gas distribution companies’ unique positions and contribution to strategic land planning.
3. A roadmap on how the gas distribution companies can transform into Europe’s primary hydrogen distribution infrastructure: The third analysis will provide a roadmap with concrete initiatives for how the gas distribution companies at the European and national level can be a link between hydrogen producers and consumers. It should describe possible barriers and opportunities along the gas distributors' road to being the responsible hydrogen pipeline distributor.