Training Permitting Staff for Hydrogen Projects

With a high number of hydrogen projects progressing to realization in Europe, public institutions responsible for permitting, including licensing and safety analysis of projects, will play a crucial role in managing the necessary administrative procedures. The EU Net-Zero Industry Act calls for permitting procedures to not take longer than 18 months. However, there is still widespread uncertainty with local public institutions, as to which regulatory framework applies and how projects are to be classified, assessed, and monitored. Fragmentation remains across the EU, with differences in Member State approaches to evaluation and permitting procedures. Local lack of expertise, lack of knowledge, lack of experience with assessment frameworks (even lack of locally applicable frameworks), and reluctance to take risks in allowing innovative projects to be implemented in public settings are further obstacles to providing rapid pathways to a de-fossilised European energy system.

The PermittHy project addresses the fragmented and inconsistent permitting landscape for hydrogen projects across the EU. It aims to deliver harmonised, multilingual training programmes, digital tools and a transnational collaboration structure that enables permitting authorities, certification staff, engineers, and safety officials to efficiently and safely process hydrogen project applications. The project supports the European Union's energy transition and climate neutrality objectives by removing procedural bottlenecks that hinder the implementation of green hydrogen projects.

PermittHy trainings will target all staff involved in permitting processes, be it public servants assessing applications and issuing permits, staff at certification bodies, engineers tasked with writing applications, or other stakeholders involved in permitting processes, such as fire brigades. A level discussion ground between applicants, assessment bodies, and stakeholders. The trainings will contribute to overcoming the lack of experience with handling hydrogen projects and attempt to overcome national fragmentation by offering best practice examples. Trainees will receive the necessary knowledge to securely and confidently navigate permitting procedures. The digital tools supplied will allow better understanding and assessment of risks involved.

By raising awareness of the differences in procedures between Member States, the project contributes towards a harmonisation of permitting processes throughout the EU. The primary audience of the project will be the regions and countries of the current and future Hydrogen Valley projects funded through the Clean Hydrogen Partnership Joint Undertaking. Ultimately, though, PermittHy will address all EU Member States.