Renewable hydrogen faces increasing attention in Europe from policymakers, scientists and investors. Upscaling the use of renewable hydrogen will accelerate decarbonisation and reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels.

A first EU strategy on hydrogen was adopted in 2020, setting a gradual trajectory for the development of renewable hydrogen. The RepowerEU plan further accelerated the development of renewable hydrogen, substantially doubling the standards set by the EU hydrogen strategy.

Within the REPowerEU plan, the Commission set a target of: (i) 10 million tonnes of domestic renewable hydrogen production by 2030; and (ii) 10 million tonnes of imports by 2030, through the development of three major hydrogen import corridors via the Mediterranean, the North Sea area and, as soon as conditions allow, with Ukraine. To achieve these targets, on February 10, 2023 the European Commission approved two Delegated Acts, clarifying the features of “renewable hydrogen” in an attempt to foster market players’ investments in this sector and provide regulatory certainty to investors.

Cleary posts: 

• September 23, 2024: EU introduces new Hydrogen and Decarbonized Gas Market Package
• April 17, 2023: European Commission Proposes Definition of Renewable Hydrogen in the EU