EU Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson
War adds impetus to Europe’s gas decarbonisation
Gas businesses have embraced the acceleration of decarbonisation prompted by the Ukraine war but are concerned about the feasibility of new targets—especially for hydrogen
EU businesses were facing an avalanche of legislation even before the war in Ukraine, most notably the ‘Fit for 55’ package, adopted by the European Commission in July 2021, and the hydrogen and gas decarbonisation package, adopted in December 2021. These proposals alone would have kept stakeholders busy for months. Russia’s invasion of its neighbour in February has ramped up the legislative agenda considerably with what EU Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson described at last week’s annual Eurogas conference as “our blueprint for removing Russian fossil [fuels] from our system as early as possible”—the RepowerEU proposals, published in May. 31pc – Share of Russian gas imports into EU
Also in this section
18 February 2026
Norwegian energy company has dropped a major hydrogen project and paused its CCS expansion plans as demand fails to materialise
4 February 2026
Europe’s largest electrolyser manufacturers are losing patience with policymakers as sluggish growth in the green hydrogen sector undermines their decision to expand production capacity
2 February 2026
As a fertiliser feedstock, it is indispensable, but ammonia’s potential as a carbon-free energy carrier is also making it central to global decarbonisation strategies
28 January 2026
The development of hydrogen’s distribution system must speed up if the industry is to stand any chance of grabbing a meaningful slice of the low-carbon energy market
