BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 20. Policymakers,
industry regulators, and experts gathered at Riga International
Airport to discuss hydrogen infrastructure solutions and
recommendations for improving Latvia’s legal framework governing
hydrogen production, storage, transport, and use, Trend reports.
According to a recent study commissioned by Riga Airport and the
Latvian Hydrogen Association and conducted by the law firm
Eversheds Sutherland Bitāns, Latvia currently lacks a clear and
comprehensive regulatory framework for hydrogen. This absence of
clear guidelines is hindering the development of green hydrogen
production and its applications, particularly in the aviation
sector.
During the seminar, representatives from Riga Airport, the
Latvian Hydrogen Association, the Civil Aviation Agency, the
Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, the
Ministry of Transport, the State Environmental Service, and other
institutions highlighted several urgent issues.
These included the absence of hydrogen-specific safety and
certification standards, insufficient environmental impact
assessment requirements, and the need to update regulations
addressing hydrogen storage risks.
“Riga Airport is ready to serve as a testing ground for
innovation and research projects that bring us closer to
economically viable use of hydrogen-powered ground equipment.
That’s why it is crucial to strike the right balance between
improving existing regulations and avoiding overregulation,” said
Normunds Feierbergs, Member of the Board at Riga Airport.
The discussion also emphasized the need to clarify zoning and
construction permit procedures for hydrogen production facilities
near airports. Hydrogen is currently classified as a hazardous
substance, yet there are no specific standards for its storage.
Similarly, regulations for hydrogen pipeline transport, airport
refueling stations, and hydrogen-powered aircraft remain
underdeveloped.
At the European Union level, participants called for the
establishment of EU-wide hydrogen production safety standards,
mandatory hydrogen storage safety training at airports, and the
expansion of the European Hydrogen Backbone network to major
airports.
They also recommended prioritizing hydrogen integration into EU
airport development plans, incorporating green hydrogen production
into European Green Deal funding programs, and increasing EU
financial support for hydrogen storage pilot projects at airports
to create best-practice models applicable across sectors.
The seminar was organized by Riga International Airport (RIX)
within the INTERREG Baltic Sea Region project “BSR HyAirport –
Preparing Baltic Sea Region Airports for Green Hydrogen.”
The project aims to create conditions for adapting airport
infrastructure to support hydrogen-powered ground vehicles and
aircraft, and to prepare airports for the storage, processing, and
supply of green hydrogen as a future energy source for
aviation.
