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The industry association BDEW is calling on the German government to establish Contracts for Difference as a central instrument for scaling up hydrogen. This requires a dedicated budget item in the Climate and Transformation Fund 2027.
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 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.
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.
A study commissioned by the Federal Ministry of Transport sees potential for hydrogen primarily in airport ground operations in the short term. A comprehensive development of infrastructure for liquid hydrogen is currently not considered sensible.
The Bundesrat, the Federal Council of Germany, has paved the way for the implementation of the EU Renewable Energy Directive RED III into German law. Refineries will be required to use renewable hydrogen according to RFNBO criteria. Hydrogen producer Lhyfe expects additional demand in the German market as a result.
The British government wants a gigawatt-scale factory for the latest generation of electrolysers, and ITM Power is set to build it. The company announced today that it has received two separate government funding packages. Together, they amount to £86.5 million, nearly 100 million euros.
The Swiss cantons of Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft have presented a joint strategy for green hydrogen. In it, they define areas of application, call for technology-neutral incentives, and position the region as a hub in the European hydrogen network.
The EU Commission presented the Industrial Accelerator Act on March 4. The law aims to strengthen European manufacturing through "Made in EU" and CO2 requirements. For hydrogen, it offers less than some had hoped.
At the Sea Lapland Hydrogen Day 2026 on February 11 in Kemi, Finland's north presented itself as a future hydrogen hub for Europe. The five municipalities of Tornio, Keminmaa, Kemi, Simo, and Tervola jointly courted international investors.
At the North Sea Summit in Hamburg BDEW and AquaVentus are calling for stronger European cooperation in offshore wind expansion—and for the systematic integration of offshore electrolysis into national and regional planning. Studies show that lower spatial density, cross-border area cooperation and combined infrastructure solutions can significantly reduce costs and increase efficiency.
A new study in the context of a German innovation testbed shows: The market ramp-up of green hydrogen is hindered by a complex cycle of obstacles including regulation, lack of economic viability, and infrastructure problems. The analysis is based on discussions at an event called„NRL Transformation Labs“.
Automobile manufacturers are to reduce the emissions of their vehicle fleets by 90 percent by 2035. The remaining ten percent can be compensated with e-fuels and green steel from Europe. Hydrogen Europe hopes for a new lead market for climate-friendly steel.
A new study by the TransHyDE project analyzes possible development paths for the European hydrogen system until 2050. It calls for swift political decisions to reduce costs, ensure supply security, and avoid misguided investments.
Ahead of the World Climate Conference, the EU environment ministers have agreed to weaken the European climate targets. This includes a later introduction of emissions trading ETS2.
The Federal Audit Office has criticized high costs and financial risks in hydrogen promotion. Industry associations are now taking a stand.
On September 15, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) of Germany published the “Monitoring Report” on the energy transition. Minister Katherina Reiche also presented ten steps to improve the economic viability. When it comes to hydrogen, fixed targets appear to be a thing of the past. Instead, the ministry is taking a “flexible” and “technology-neutral” approach. Reiche speaks of aligning with demand and market needs. She ignores the necessity, outlined in the report, of first building up this demand.
This is the unanimous demand of the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW) and the AquaVentus Förderverein, whose goal is to produce green hydrogen directly at sea using offshore wind energy and transport it to shore via pipeline. Transport via pipelines is described as a cost-effective, fast and environmentally friendly solution.
Hydrogen Europe has published a position paper on the European Commission’s planned Sustainable Transport Investment Plan (STIP). The association is calling for targeted support measures to accelerate the scale-up of hydrogen in the transport sector – particularly in aviation, shipping and heavy-duty transport.
This July, the European Commission is expected to present a legislative proposal for the 10th Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP10). In light of this, leading representatives from hydrogen-related research institutions and industry associations have jointly voiced their position. HZwei spoke with Luigi Crema, President of Hydrogen Europe Research, about the importance of FP10 for the hydrogen sector.
Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action has presented a draft law to accelerate hydrogen deployment. The aim is to simplify and speed up approval procedures for hydrogen infrastructure. Comments may be submitted until July 28, 2025.
More than 30 leading companies from the energy, automotive and technology sectors are calling on EU heads of state and government to provide stronger support for hydrogen mobility. In a joint letter, they are urging political action to scale up infrastructure and the market.
The EU Commission has proposed a new climate target for 2040: net greenhouse gas emissions are to be reduced by 90 percent compared to 1990 levels. According to the Commission, the proposal is intended to strengthen investment in clean technologies and support industry on the path to climate neutrality.
The German federal government has adopted the 2025 draft budget and key figures for 2026. The German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW) criticizes massive cuts in hydrogen funding and warns of negative consequences for industry and Germany as a business location.
