Energy, EU – Baltic States, Gas, Latvia, Legislation

The European Clean Hydrogen Alliance aims at an ambitious deployment of hydrogen technologies by 2030, bringing together renewable and low-carbon hydrogen production, demand in industry, mobility and other sectors, and hydrogen transmission and distribution. With the alliance, the EU wants to build its global leadership in this domain, to support the EU’s commitment to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.

Conexus representatives said that, considering the European green course, demand for fossil energy sources might drop after 2030, therefore, it is important to re-profile the current European natural gas infrastructure elements, ensuring infrastructure for hydrogen transborder transportation on a large scale and expand efficient and sustainable use of renewable energy resources in the national economy.

Conexus currently is working on long-term projects related with energy transformation. Based on Latvia's National Energy and Climate Plan for 2021-2030, a study has been conducted on decarbonization of the gas network, and an action plan for development of hydrogen infrastructure has been prepared.

JSC Conexus Baltic Grid was set up in December 2016, when JSC Latvijas Gaze gas utility was reorganized into two separate structural units due to following liberalization of the Latvian gas market on April 3, 2017, in accordance with the principles of regulated market established by the European Union (EU) Gas Directive and the Cabinet of Ministers. Conexus was handed over the natural gas infrastructure: the unified natural gas transmission system and the Incukalns underground gas storage facility.

The company's key shareholder is the state-owned transmission system operator Augstsprieguma Tikls (68.46%).