The new policies and the revised renewable energy Directive are fixing ambitious targets for 2030: renewable energy target of at least 32% and an energy efficiency target of at least 32.5%. When the policies are fully implemented, they will lead to a great reduction on emissions for the whole EU, around 45% by 2030 (relative to 1990 GHG emission). The EU framework towards GHG emissions reduction is based in six key areas of action, including the deployment of renewable energy production, decarbonising heating and cooling applications (which vastly relies on fossil fuels), and reducing the emissions on the transport sector. Therefore, the integrated energy markets in the EU shall allow important transformations to provide more flexibility and be better placed to integrate a greater share of renewable energies, allowing also a more independent energy system. In this context, Hydrogen can play a pivotal role as energy vector allowing coupling the energy sectors (produced by electrolysis) , and as an alternative fuel in hard to electrify sectors. To facilitate that a high amount of hydrogen is produced by RE, existent gas infrastructure could be a way of transporting hydrogen between production point and final use. Therefore, hydrogen injection into the gas grid could support gas-electricity sector coupling and opening the role of hydrogen as a way of decarbonising the gas usages. HIGGS project aims to pave the way to decarbonisation of the gas grid and its usage, by covering the gaps of knowledge of the impact that high levels of hydrogen could have on the gas infrastructure, its components and its management. To reach this goal, several activities, including mapping of technical, legal and regulatory barriers and enablers, testing and validation of systems and innovation, techno-economic modelling and the preparation of a set of conclusions as a pathway towards enabling the injection of hydrogen in high-pressure gas grids, are developed in the project.

Green hydrogen is gaining moment across Europe as feedstock, fuel or energy carrier and storage, as solid actions are needed to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Hydrogen has many possible applications across industry, transport, energy and building sectors and, therefore, local gas grids across Europe are working hard to get ready for its transport. The realization of the prospects of delivering H2/NG admixtures or even 100 % H2 by existing gas distribution grids exacerbates the problem of pipe integrity due to the well-known negative impact of hydrogen on the mechanical properties of metals. Most projects assessing safe hydrogen compatibility with natural gas distribution grids (i.e. H21, HydePloy,etc.) have performed experiments to study the leakage ratio, emission potential and explosion severity of vintage components. However, long-term material integrity assessment replicating distribution grid operating conditions in testing platforms is still necessary. CANDHy will allow the possibility of testing relevant metallic materials, different from the well-studied steels, with a methodology involving simultaneous test in independent R&D platforms with a common methodology. This will allow to obtain trustful and reproducible results about hydrogen tolerance of materials that have not been considered in previous research but that are an essential part in in low-pressure gas grids. CANDHy project will enable hydrogen distribution in low pressure gas grids by consolidated and exhaustive scientific data, coupled with harmonized guidelines for non-steel metallic grid materials. At least five material grades of different families (such as cast iron, copper, brass, lead, aluminium), both new and vintage, will be fully documented, and the results will be publicly available for all stakeholders in a continuously updated database. Mechanical tests will base on static and dynamic conditions to assess hydrogen sensitivity following the most relevant current and updated standards

To accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy while exploiting existing infrastructure, hydrogen can be injected to the natural gas network. However, the there are many technical and regulatory gaps that should be closed and adaptations and investments to be made to assure that multi-gas networks across Europe will be able to operate in a reliable and safe way while providing a highly controllable gas quality and required energy demand. Recently, the European Committee for Standardization concluded the impossibility of setting a common limiting value for hydrogen into the European gas infrastructure recommending a case-by-case analysis. In addition to this, there are still uncertainties related to material integrity on pipelines and networks components with regards to a reduced lifetime in presence of hydrogen. Existent results from previous and ongoing projects on the hydrogen readiness of grid components should be summarized in a systematic manner together with the assessment of the existent T&D infrastructure components at European level to provide stakeholders with decision support and risk reduction information to drive future investments and the development of regulations and standards. The SHIMMER project aims to enable a higher integration and safer hydrogen injection management in multi-gas networks by contributing to the knowledge and better understanding of hydrogen projects, their risks, and opportunities. - To map and address European gas T&D infrastructure in relation to materials, components, technology, and their readiness for hydrogen blends - To define methods, tools and technologies for multi-gas network management and quality tracking, including simulation, prediction, and safe management of transients, in view of widespread hydrogen injection in a context of European-wide context -To propose best practice guidelines for handling the safety of hydrogen in the natural gas infrastructure, managing the risks

The GREEN HYSLAND PROJECT adresses the requirements of the call FCH-03-2-2020: H2 Islands by deploying a fully-integrated and functioning H2 ecosystem in the island of Mallorca, Spain. The project brings together all core elements of the H2 value chain i.e. production, distribution infrastructure and end-use of green hydrogen across mobility, heat and power. The overall approach of GREEN HYSLAND is based on the integration of 6 deployment sites in the island of Mallorca, including 7.5MW of electrolysis capacity connected to local PV plants and 6 FCH end-user applications, namely buses and cars, 2 CHP applications at commercial buildings, electricity supply at the port and injection of H2 into the local gas grid. The intention is to facilitate full integration and operational interconnectivity of all these sites. The project will also deliver the deployment of infrastructure (i.e. dedicated H2 pipeline, distribution via road trailers and a HRS) for distributing H2 across the island and integrating green H2 supply with local end-users. The scalability and EU replicability of this integrated H2 ecosystem will be showcased via a long-term roadmap towards 2050, together with full replication studies. The intention is to expand the impact beyond the technology demonstrations delivered by the project, setting the basis for the first H2 hub at scale in Sothern Europe. This will provide Europe with a blueprint for decarbonization of island economies, and an operational example of the contribution of H2 towards the energy transition and the 2050 net zero targets The project has already been declared to be a Strategic Project by the Balearic Regional Government, and has support from the National Government through IDAE.