A reduced hydrogen production target included in Greece’s revised National Energy and Climate Plan has been accepted by the European Commission without any protest in its appraisal of the plan.

Greek authorities have significantly cut the country’s new hydrogen output target for 2030 to 300 MW from two previous goals, a 1.7-GW target included in an NECP draft last summer, and a preceding target of 1.2 GW.

According to energypress sources, the latest adjustment was made prior to the draft’s delivery to Brussels in early November as authorities recognized that the 1.7-GW target was excessive and unrealistic both for the Greek market and the hydrogen sector’s current capabilities.

Sources explained that the older 1.2-GW target was based on a plan entailing the injection of hydrogen production into the natural gas network, a plan which, following further analysis that took into account current data and conditions, proved extremely costly for consumers.

Besides, the main purpose of hydrogen usage, the sources added, is to help decarbonize certain sectors of the economy such as transport and industry, sectors to which other decarbonization solutions, primarily electrification, cannot be applied as they turn out to be high-cost solutions.