During the second MEDGEM Industry Advisory Board on 11 June, hosted in the premises of Hydrogen Europe in Brussels, a 257-page report was presented with “Country Fiches” presenting an analysis of electricity and hydrogen infrastructure status and needs, technical capacity status and needs and clean tech manufacturing status and needs per each of the countries participating in the MED-GEM network. Discussions focused on the importance of finance and risk sharing for clean energy investments (as well as project structuring), the need for different types of education (TVET, Academic, short term add-on education), the importance of clarity on off-takers in the renewable hydrogen market and how the price gap between grey and green hydrogen can be covered, local demand (and related restructuring investment required) for renewable hydrogen and the pros and cons of local content requirements.

The Mediterranean Energy Plan initiative of DG NEAR was also introduced and illustrated. Questions raised focused on how renewable energy potentials were determined, if the study also looks at the enforcement of electricity grid infrastructure in the Southern Neighbourhood countries, if the study also looks at how the EU can absorb additional electricity, and with regard to renewable hydrogen if required hydrogen port infrastructure is also included in the study and also if/how the EU can support buying renewable hydrogen. 

The selected service provider for conducting a pre-certification pilot of renewable hydrogen, Hinicio, presented the step-by-step approach that they will follow once the renewable hydrogen pilot project under the MEDGEM is selected. This pre-certification pilot has the full attention of MEDGEM partners as it will be illustrating how the EU Delegated Acts requirements translate to on the ground reality.