The European Union (EU) is looking to the future of energy and has identified hydrogen as an important component of its ongoing energy transition. To this end, the European Commission has proposed a dedicated investment agenda to accelerate the deployment of hydrogen technologies.
The Commission’s plans include an initial 180 billion euros of public and private investments, including 100 billion euros from the EU and its Member States, to finance the deployment of hydrogen technologies over the next decade. The Commission is also setting up the first-ever fuel cell and hydrogen observatory (FCHO), which will provide comprehensive data and analysis on developing and deploying hydrogen technologies in the EU. The FCHO was created for the use of policymakers, industry stakeholders, and the general public and is funded by the Fuel Cell Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU).
The Commission’s investment agenda also includes several measures to support the development and deployment of hydrogen technologies. These measures include support for research and innovation and funding for demonstration projects. REPowerEU, for example, plans to end reliance on Russian fossil fuels by diversifying supplies from international partners. Read more about REPowerEU here. The Commission is also looking at ways to remove regulatory and other barriers to the use of hydrogen.
In addition to these measures, the Commission is also looking at ways to ensure that the benefits of hydrogen technologies are shared among all Member States. The Commission is proposing a common framework for market development and access, as well as the establishment of an EU-wide certification system.
In conclusion, the European Commission’s investment agenda for hydrogen presents a major opportunity for the EU to move towards a clean energy future. The proposed measures and investments will help to ensure a secure, reliable, and sustainable energy supply while also helping to meet the EU’s climate goals. However, a number of challenges need to be addressed to ensure that the benefits of hydrogen technologies are shared among all Member States.
To learn more about the European Commission’s support of hydrogen, visit https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/industry/strategy/hydrogen_en.
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