GasNet, s.r.o.
GasNet, s.r.o.
GasNet is the largest gas distribution network in the Czech Republic by both grid length and number of connections.
ID: 995366944799-09
Lobbying Activity
Meeting with Ondřej Knotek (Member of the European Parliament)
10 Dec 2025 · Energy and Industry Policies
Response to Taxonomy Delegated Acts – amendments to make reporting simpler and more cost-effective for companies
26 Mar 2025
GasNet welcomes the proposed partial revision of the taxonomy rules in connection with the publication of the Omnibus I package. Especially regarding the fact, the current framework demonstrates excessive complexity in application and, at the same time, shows weak interest from the financial sector and investors in its actual use. Specifically, we support the proposed revision set out in Article 2(1c) of the Delegated Regulation 2021/2178 which adds a provision allowing non-financial undertakings not to report on operational expenditures where the cumulative turnover of their eligible activities do not exceed 25% of total turnover. From our perspective, these are welcome changes to simplify the reporting process. Besides, we also support the EC's announced intention to further review all technical screening criteria (TSC), especially the application of the "Do no significant harm" (DNSH) rule, with the aim of simplifying and improving its usability. Here, we would like to draw attention to possible further revision of the DNSH rule in relation to the activities 4.29 - 4.31, namely for the production of electricity, heat, or highly efficient combined heat and power production. Firstly, we would like to reiterate our earlier opposition to the recommendations of the Platform for Sustainable Financing (PSF) as suggested in its January 2025 Report on the revision of TSC, including DNSH. The PSF proposal would effectively make it impossible to achieve TSC, thereby discouraging planned investments in the transition from coal to gas. At the same time, it would hinder the later full deployment of renewable and/or low-carbon gases. On the contrary, given the role of natural gas, which is expected to play in the phase out of the energy sector from coal use, especially in the Czech Republic, we request an extension of the deadlines according to which natural gas is currently temporarily qualified as taxonomically acceptable. Here, it is necessary to align these deadlines with the real timelines and capacities of the manageable process of complete phase out of coal to natural gas in the production of electricity and heat in the Czech Republic. Specifically, this involves extending the latest deadline for granting building permits for new or refurbishment projects with temporary use of natural gas from 2030 to 2035, as well as shifting the latest requirement to obligatorily connect these sources to renewable gases from 2035 to 2040. This should create necessary flexibility for all individual sources in absence of the sufficient capacity for renewable hydrogen sources in a concrete locality, respectively their possible capacity limitations within the deadline for this transition. Also, the existing capacity limitations restrict the effective use of renovations or the construction of new sources, which in the case of replacing coal with natural gas can bring better effects in terms of emission reductions. Furthermore, it can increase the capacity of new sources, which can replace and possibly terminate other outdated, unsuitable, and emission-intensive production sources, whose capacity without increase will be insufficient. We propose, therefore, to abandon current capacity requirements.
Read full responseResponse to COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION on extending the scope of traceability of the Union database
7 Nov 2024
GasNet welcomes the Commissions proposal to support the correct accounting of liquid and gaseous renewable fuels and recycled carbon fuels to achieve the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) targets based on the functional and operational Union database. Our concern, nevertheless, is and for the near future remains the data reliability of such an EU-wide database and the clarity of all transaction registration processes. This will be crucial in order to integrate existing systems with schemes already in place for the registration of data from the point of production or collection of raw materials used in fuel production. For that reason, we also fully understand the reasoning behind the proposals that are leading to broadening the scope of the Union database (UDB) to cover all stages of the supply chain, including the production or collection point of the raw material used for fuel production. We acknowledge these are to support the overall objective of the UDB, which is to help market transparency and traceability in the fuel supply chain. Moreover, and even more importantly, to secure data consistency, timely responses and to avoid such adverse issues as records duplication and wrong formatting, the UDB needs thus to stay the primary platform from which Member States will draw all the necessary data in the future. This clarity will be of particular importance during the transitional period between 21st November 2024 (when the UDB is due to be set up for tracking liquid and gaseous renewable and recycled carbon fuels) and 21st May 2025 (by which Member States must transpose the RED III into national law). Therefore, the alignment between national databases/schemes and the UDB is essential so that operators do not need to register the same transaction twice across different systems. Additionally, the Commission should clarify when the obligation to register relevant data from the point of production or collection of raw materials used in fuel production would be enforced. Once this is clarified, economic operators should be given adequate time to develop or adapt their IT systems and identify all relevant points of origin before applying these new requirements.
Read full responseResponse to Greenhouse gas emissions savings methodology for low-carbon fuels
25 Oct 2024
GasNet welcomes the Commissions commitment to define the necessary rules for certifying GHG emission savings from low carbon fuels (LCF), with the aim of creating a clear regulatory framework. The development of a low carbon hydrogen (LCH) market as complement to renewable hydrogen technologies has significant potential to accelerate the implementation of a dynamic hydrogen market to decarbonize industry, transport and heating sectors, and thus to prepare ground for large volumes of renewable hydrogen in the future. As low carbon hydrogen production technology is proven and enables significantly lower hydrogen price levels, therefore making hydrogen for customers more attractive, it can increase demand for hydrogen faster and more dynamically. Similar, it can be expected that less subsidies will be required compared to purely renewable hydrogen, though emission savings remain significant. Beside the cost advantages, LCH will also allow for advanced testing, improved commercial trading, certification rules, or invoicing processes. In this regard, we welcome the Commissions intention to link with the RED Union Database to apply the same provisions as for RES gases also to LCH. Similarly, we welcome ambition to have a single methodology for domestic and imported low carbon fuels. Creating a level playing field is an absolute necessity, as hydrogen (and its derivatives) will be a globally traded commodity, just like natural gas is today both in industry and transport applications. However, detail definition of LCFs and their carbon footprint needs also concrete reflection and definition in strive for Net Zero economy and their possible use in individual sectors. So far, it might be used only in some limited scope and targets defined by EU ETS and RED legislation which reduces its attractiveness for consumers from different sectors. In general, this draft act should be simplified and amended to support confidence for investors. We emphasize the following: Grandfathering should be provided for the lifetime of the investment and/or gas supply to avoid regulatory uncertainty on evolving regulations (methane intensity, hydrogen GHG potential) and so have a stable regulatory framework allowing FIDs for low carbon. Project specific values provision for full or part of the value chain should be enabled for both, electricity and gas. For electricity, dispatchable low-carbon electricity (PPAs) should be allowed, to align the rules with DA RFNBO. Such a ruling will further promote development of clean electricity sources, including nuclear power essential for countries like CZ. For gas value chain, upstream project-specific emission values should be allowed and in the mid-stream, the country-specific values should be allowed without any unjustified penalties. Approach to solid carbon as a byproduct of methane pyrolysis accounting should be described more extensively. Methane pyrolysis is assumed emission-free as no CO2 particles are released into the atmosphere (with no need for additional infrastructure and related additional costs) and should be, therefore, driven by analogous and specific CCS rules. The Commission should update the Delegated Act on RFNBO alongside the LCH Delegated Act once LCH methodology is adopted, because the LCH methodology has new rules for calculating GHG emissions. Synchronising them will ensure consistency across both regulatory frameworks. Likewise, DA on LCF should be aligned with other existing rules and procedures, e.g. InnovFund methodology for GHG Emissions Avoidance Calculation.
Read full responseMeeting with Martin Hojsík (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and E.ON SE
5 Apr 2023 · Methane regulation,
Meeting with Jens Geier (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and Thüga Aktiengesellschaft
21 Mar 2023 · Exchange on the hydrogen infrastructure
Meeting with Věra Jourová (Vice-President)
6 Dec 2021 · Fit for 55 legislative proposals
Meeting with Mikuláš Peksa (Member of the European Parliament)
3 Nov 2021 · Fit for 55