H2 Production

Numerous European associations from the energy, hydrogen, and industrial sectors are urging the EU Commission to quickly revise the Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1184. The ongoing uncertainty about the production criteria for renewable hydrogen endangers investments along the entire value chain.

Alkaline water electrolysis is one of the most mature processes for hydrogen production. Compared to PEM electrolysis, it has long been considered rather inflexible. Asahi Kasei has succeeded in adapting it to operation with renewable energies, which is characterized by fluctuating loads and frequent load changes. This could significantly reduce the levelized cost of hydrogen.

The Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability (LBF) in Darmstadt. The focus of the exchange was on methods for evaluating and monitoring safe hydrogen systems.

At the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Rheinland, the first 14 of a total of 150 electrolyser stacks for the Refhyne 2 project have arrived. According to the company, the 100 MW PEM electrolyser is scheduled to go into operation in 2027 and produce up to 16,000 tonnes of hydrogen per year.

The 100 MW electrolyser of the Hamburg Green Hydrogen Hub at the site of the former coal power plant in Moorburg is taking shape. 36 heavy transporters delivered the stacks from Siemens Energy's Berlin production. Commercial operation is now scheduled to start at the end of 2027.

The British company EnergyPathways has entered into an agreement with the Finnish technology provider Hycamite. Together, they are examining the use of a methane splitting technology in a planned hydrogen and graphite production facility at the port of Barrow-in-Furness.

Power to Hydrogen (P2H2) and Repsol have completed a pilot of P2H2's anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyzer at Repsol's All4Zero innovation hub. According to the companies, the technology exceeded durability and efficiency targets and projects a system lifetime of more than 50,000 hours.

Air Products has entered into a long-term power purchase agreement with RWE. RWE will supply up to 75 GWh of wind and solar power annually for the hydrogen facilities in Rotterdam. This will also supply the hydrogen liquefaction plant under construction.

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.

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.

Regionalverkehr Köln GmbH (RVK) has received funding approvals totaling 29.5 million euros for its Green Mobility Depot in Bergisch Gladbach. The project includes a hydrogen refueling station with its own electrolyser. The hydrogen unit is expected to be operational by the end of 2026.

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.

On the former coal power plant site in Moorburg, the Hamburg Energy Networks are constructing the H2 Connector. The facility is set to serve as a hub between a large electrolyzer, the national hydrogen core network, and the distribution network HH-WIN from autumn 2027.

Sunfire has started the construction of a test facility for its latest generation of high-temperature electrolysers (SOEC) in the Lausitz Industrial Park in Schwarzheide. The Dresden-based company aims to validate the technology under industrial conditions in the long term.

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 planned amendment to the Wind Energy at Sea Act opens the way for combined electricity and hydrogen production at sea for the first time. The AquaVentus initiative welcomes the draft bill but criticizes the restriction to individual areas. According to the initiative's calculations, double-digit billions could be saved.

The Stadtwerke Stuttgart and the ZSW are developing an AI-supported software for operating the four electrolysers at the Green Hydrogen Hub Stuttgart in the SCH2EDULIZER project. It aims to optimally control production, battery storage, and the electricity market.

Regionalverkehr Köln (RVK) has begun construction of a hydrogen filling station with an electrolyser in Mechernich. The facility is scheduled to go into operation at the end of 2026 and will produce 36 kilograms of green hydrogen per hour. The Federal Ministry of Transport is funding the project with around 15 million euros.

The first electrolysis hydrogen from Lingen has arrived at the Marl Chemical Park. This means that all components of the GET H2 Nucleus project – production, transport, and acceptance – are working together for the first time. The pipelines are among the first sections of Germany's hydrogen core network.

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 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.