International

The Swiss cleantech company Synhelion plans to establish a commercial large-scale plant for synthetic fuels in the southern Moroccan province of Tan-Tan. The planned capacity is 100,000 tonnes per year. A corresponding memorandum of understanding with the Moroccan government has been signed.

Green hydrogen is a key building block for the decarbonization and resilience of the European energy system. At the same time, it strengthens Europe’s strategic independence in an increasingly volatile global energy market. However, building a strong European value chain and ensuring a balanced competitive environment requires clear regulations that govern the market access of subsidized Chinese suppliers, as well as realistic RFNBO criteria.

ABO Energy and the Finnish city of Oulu have signed a cooperation agreement to develop a green hydrogen facility. According to ABO Energy, the electrolysis capacity could be expanded in several phases to up to 600 MW.

ABB will supply its System 800xA distributed control system for the Kawasaki LH2 Terminal in Ogishima, Japan. Kawasaki Heavy Industries selected the technology for what is billed as the world's first commercial-scale liquefied hydrogen terminal. The demonstration phase is scheduled to end by 2030.

Siemens Energy is preparing the legal and operational spin-off of its Transformation of Industry division. This division, with 17,000 employees and a turnover of 5.7 billion euros, also includes the electrolyser business for the production of green hydrogen.

Air Products will in the future source RFNBO-compliant hydrogen long-term from Nobian's chlor-alkali plant in Rotterdam. The plant, with a capacity of more than 14,000 tonnes per year, is considered Europe's largest RFNBO-certified hydrogen production.

University College London (UCL) is establishing a chair for advanced propulsion technologies funded by Horiba. The first holder will be Professor Thomas S. Miller starting in September 2026. The partnership aims to research fuel cells and batteries.

The Estonian electrolyser manufacturer Stargate Hydrogen is strengthening its business in Finland. Petri Sarnes takes over as Country Director. He comes from Siemens and is tasked with expanding the company's position in the growing Finnish hydrogen market.

The Norwegian electrolyser manufacturer HydrogenPro has presented its figures for the second quarter of 2026. Revenue was 15 million NOK, with a net result of minus 51 million NOK. Parallel to this, the production of a new electrode generation started.

For the expansion of its production facilities in Kawasaki, Asahi Kasei receives subsidies from the Prefecture of Kanagawa and the City of Kawasaki. By 2028, an annual capacity of at least 2 GW for cell frames and membranes for alkaline electrolyzers is to be established there. With the existing capacity for chlor-alkali electrolysis plants, the annual total capacity would thus increase to over 3 GW.

The VDMA opposes a weakening of climate targets. Managing Director Thilo Brodtmann instead calls for better research funding for climate protection technologies. The mechanical and plant engineering sector sees itself as a key supplier – also with Power-to-X solutions.

The eFuel Alliance has presented a position paper that classifies electricity-based fuels as a security-relevant factor for Europe. The association calls for practical production rules, binding sub-quotas, and the crediting of investments towards the NATO spending target.

The industry association AquaVentus demands in its statement on the Area Development Plan 2025 the retention of the offshore area SEN-1. Otherwise, the ramp-up of offshore electrolysis in the German North Sea is at risk. The association proposes two electrolysis platforms, each with 250 MW.

The Port of Hamburg is preparing for ammonia as a maritime fuel. The Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) and MB Energy have developed a risk analysis and safety concept for ship-to-ship bunkering. An import terminal is set to secure supply from 2029.

The Finnish e-methane developer Nordic Ren-Gas and the Dresden-based electrolysis manufacturer Sunfire have entered into a long-term partnership. Sunfire will thus become the preferred technology partner for Ren-Gas's hydrogen and e-methane projects.

RCT Hydrogen from Konstanz is supplying a turnkey 10 MW electrolyser for the "Green Hydrogen Sines" project at the Port of Sines. The client is the project development company Beyond Green. Delivery is scheduled to begin in 2026, with production starting in the summer of 2027.

The European Commission has presented its revision of the Emissions Trading System and the Electrification Action Plan. According to the industry association Hydrogen Europe, both initiatives are of great importance for the hydrogen economy. A €100 billion bank for industrial decarbonisation is also planned.

AquaDuctus Pipeline GmbH is starting the geotechnical investigations for the planned offshore hydrogen pipeline in the North Sea. According to the company, the work in front of Norderney and Hilgenriedersiel will begin at the earliest on July 20, 2026, providing data for route planning and construction methods.

Ineratec and Zeopore are collaborating on a new hydrocracking process for synthetic fuels. The goal is to more efficiently upgrade Fischer-Tropsch waxes from power-to-liquid plants into drop-in capable e-fuels and chemicals.

Intelligent Energy has introduced a 120 kW fuel cell system for large drones and, according to its own statements, secured the largest order to date in the UAV segment. The technology is intended to enable longer flight times and higher payloads.

The European Commission is reviewing important rules for green hydrogen. The background is geopolitical risks and stalled investments. The electrolyser manufacturer Quest One identifies specific regulatory hurdles and suggests adjustments for a faster market ramp-up.

The industrial gases company Messer is acquiring a 30 percent stake in four production sites of Lhyfe for renewable hydrogen in France and Germany. Additionally, both companies have signed a ten-year supply contract.

The US company Verde Hydrogen supplies core components for off-grid production of green hydrogen for the China Coal Energy Group. The order includes four alkaline electrolysers, each with 1,200 Nm³/h, as well as an integrated unit for gas-liquid separation and purification.

The biggest obstacle to hydrogen imports is not cost but the slow pace of EU regulation, according to Cornelius Matthes of DII Desert Energy in the podcast The Hydrogen Elevator. Laurent Antony of the International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (IPHE), an intergovernmental partnership working to establish common rules for hydrogen, shares that assessment. At the same time, he points to significant progress and stresses the need to develop shared solutions.

A coalition of 16 German and European business associations is calling for a European hydrogen alliance at the member state level. Germany is to take a leading role in this. Although progress is being made, it remains behind the requirements.