The 20 key actions in the EU Hydrogen Strategy (COM/2020/301) are listed below with follow-up information and links.
An investment agenda for the EU
Through the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance, develop an investment agenda to stimulate the roll out of production and use of hydrogen, and build a concrete pipeline of projects.
Follow-up: The Hydrogen pipeline includes over 750 projects collected under the Clean Hydrogen Alliance.
Support strategic investments in clean hydrogen in the context of the Commission’s recovery plan, in particular through the Strategic European Investment Window of InvestEU.
Follow-up: The scoreboard reveals that 15 EU countries have included hydrogen in their Recovery and Resilience Plans, amounting to 9.3 billion.
Propose measures to facilitate the use of hydrogen and its derivatives in the transport sector in the Commission’s upcoming Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, and in related policy initiatives.
Follow-up: The Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy was published in December 2020.
Explore additional support measures, including demand-side policies in end-use sectors, for renewable hydrogen building on the existing provisions of the Renewable Energy Directive.
Follow-up: The proposal for the Renewable Energy Directive includes sub-targets for renewable hydrogen in industry and transport.
Work to introduce a common low-carbon threshold/standard for the promotion of hydrogen production installations based on their full life-cycle greenhouse gas performance.
Follow-up: A common threshold for low-carbon hydrogen was included in the proposed directive on the internal market in hydrogen.
Work to introduce a comprehensive terminology and European-wide criteria for the certification of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen.
Follow-up: The proposal for the Renewable Energy Directive and the proposed directive on the internal market in hydrogen include certification schemes for renewable and low-carbon hydrogen.
Develop a pilot scheme – preferably at EU level – for a Carbon Contracts for Difference programme, in particular to support the production of low carbon and circular steel, and basic chemicals.
Follow-up: The proposed revision of the EU Emissions Trading scheme includes the option to introduce carbon contracts for difference.
Start the planning of hydrogen infrastructure, including in the Trans-European Networks for Energy and Transport and the Ten-Year Network Development Plans taking also into account the planning of a network of fuelling stations.
Follow-up: The proposal for Trans-European Energy Infrastructure and the proposal for regulation on the internal markets for hydrogen include coordinated planning of hydrogen infrastructure.
Accelerate the deployment of different refuelling infrastructure in the revision of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Directive and the revision of the Regulation on the Trans-European Transport Network.
Follow-up: The proposals for the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure and Trans-European Transport Network include support for the roll-out of hydrogen refuelling stations.
Design enabling market rules to the deployment of hydrogen, including removing barriers for efficient hydrogen infrastructure development, and ensure access to liquid markets for hydrogen producers and customers and the integrity of the internal gas market through the upcoming legislative reviews (e.g. review of the gas legislation for competitive decarbonised gas markets).
Follow-up: The proposal for regulation on the internal markets for hydrogen and the proposed directive on the internal market in hydrogen include proposals covering hydrogen infrastructure, access to hydrogen markets and the integrity of the market.
Launch a 100 MW electrolyser and a Green Airports and Ports call for proposals as part of the European Green Deal call under Horizon 2020.
Follow-up: The Horizon2020 call resulted in the financing of three 100 MW renewable hydrogen electrolysers in Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal.
Establish the proposed Clean Hydrogen Partnership, focusing on renewable hydrogen production, storage, transport, distribution and key components for priority end-uses of clean hydrogen at a competitive price.
Follow-up: The Clean Hydrogen Partnership has been launched with €1 billion from the EU’s Horizon research funding and €1 billion from industry partners.
Steer the development of key pilot projects that support hydrogen value chains, in coordination with the SET Plan.
Follow-up: Hydrogen has been integrated into Implementation Working Group on Renewable Fuels under the SET Plan activities.
Facilitate the demonstration of innovative hydrogen-based technologies through the launch of calls for proposals under the ETS Innovation Fund.
Follow-up: The first round of the Innovation Fund included three (out of 7) hydrogen projects under the call for ‘large-scale projects’, and 5 (out of 32) hydrogen projects under the call for ‘small-scale projects’.
Launch a call for pilot action on interregional innovation under cohesion policy on Hydrogen Technologies in carbon-intensive regions.
Follow-up: Two European Hydrogen Valley partnerships were supported under the interregional innovation action.
Strengthen EU leadership in international fora for technical standards, regulations and definitions on hydrogen.
Follow-up: The IPHE published the methodology working paper on the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production of hydrogen.
Develop the hydrogen mission within the next mandate of Mission Innovation (MI2).
Follow-up: Co-leading the Clean Hydrogen Mission launched under Mission Innovation.
Promote cooperation with Southern and Eastern Neighbourhood partners and Energy Community countries, notably Ukraine, on renewable electricity and hydrogen.
Follow-up: Joint communication on the Southern Neighbourhood with hydrogen production as new strategic priority, and hydrogen workshop under the Eastern Partnership.
Set out a cooperation process on renewable hydrogen with the African Union in the framework of the Africa-Europe Green Energy Initiative.
Follow-up: Africa-EU Green Energy Initiative launched on 18 February, with hydrogen being part of the ‘renewables’ priority. Furthermore, provided technical assistance on hydrogen to African countries and regions.
Develop a benchmark for euro-denominated transactions.
Follow-up: Hydrogen included in the communication on ‘European economic and financial system: fostering openness, strength and resilience’.