The European hydrogen industry, on the cusp of reaching 1 GW of installed capacity and set to achieve 4 GW by 2030, must continue to push for regulatory certainty, workable production rules, and crucial demand creation, Hydrogen Europe said. Just by the end of 2026, the total may reach 2 GW.
Europe’s hydrogen industry must continue to emphasize the resilience value of clean molecules, stakeholders have made clear at this year’s European Hydrogen Week, according to Hydrogen Europe.
The message was shared between the 7,500 people who attended the event at Brussels Expo across the three days, the update reads. “By scaling hydrogen, we can strengthen resilience,” the association stressed.
European actors can unite behind rallying cry
With the targets from the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive RED3 threatened, just as the sector reaches gigawatt scale, the actors can unite behind a rallying cry, Hydrogen Europe added.
Chatzimarkakis: The hydrogen industry stands ready to provide the solutions Europe needs to build a flexible, autonomous and sustainable energy system
“If we are to make Europe’s energy more secure and affordable, we need to accelerate the clean transition. Renewable and low-carbon hydrogen can play an important role in this transition and that is why we are driving development forward,” European Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jørgensen commented at the opening session of the high-level policy conference held within the event.
No change in EU’s emissions cut trajectory
Head of the Directorate-General for Energy (DG ENER) Celine Gauer reiterated the European Commission’s commitment to climate targets and hydrogen’s role. “We do not want to change the direction. We are not changing the landing points either: 90% reduction by 2040 is still the end point. All solutions need to be mobilized,” she stated.
The European hydrogen industry, on the cusp of reaching 1 GW of installed capacity and set to reach 4 GW by 2030, must continue to push for regulatory certainty, workable production rules, and crucial demand creation to deliver on the promise of this strategic molecule, Hydrogen Europe added.
At the end of July, five countries accounted for four fifths of electrolyzer capacity under construction
Its CEO Jorgo Chatzimarkakis said the industry stands ready to provide the solutions Europe needs to build a flexible, autonomous and sustainable energy system. “Good policy will unleash this potential – this means preserving and even building on the established mandates that have created much-needed demand for clean molecules. Undermining or revising the targets now will only create further uncertainty at a time when the sector needs stability and consistency,” he underscored.
The association’s latest update showed that the power consumption capacity of operational water electrolysis plants climbed to 677 MW in total through July. But it expected 1.6 GW to come online before the end of the year.
Out of the 3.7 GW that was under construction, 78% was in Germany, Sweden, Spain, the Netherlands and France, data from the Clean Hydrogen Monitor showed.
