EU Recognises Renewable Hydrogen Certification Schemes

2024-12-21 industry

Brussels, Saturday, 21 December 2024.
The EU’s nod to three hydrogen certification schemes marks a milestone, paving the way for sustainable hydrogen production. It’s a key step in the energy transition, pushing for greener fuels.

Breaking Ground in Certification

I’m excited to share that the EU has just made a groundbreaking move by formally recognizing three voluntary certification systems for renewable hydrogen [1]. As someone following the hydrogen sector closely, I can tell you this is a significant development. The systems, operated by REDcert, ISCC, and CertifHY, received their official approval on December 19, 2024 [1]. This means producers can now get proper Proof of Sustainability certificates for their hydrogen production [1], something that wasn’t possible before.

Financial Backing and Market Support

The EU is putting serious money where its mouth is. Just this month, they launched the second European Hydrogen Bank auction with an impressive €1.2 billion budget [4]. What’s particularly interesting is that producers can bid for premiums of up to €4 per kilogram of hydrogen over a 10-year period [4]. This isn’t just EU money either - member states are stepping up too, with Austria pledging €400 million and Spain committing between €280-400 million [4].

International Players and Market Dynamics

I’ve been watching how this is attracting global attention. Chinese companies are making bold moves - Trina Group is planning a 160 megawatt renewable hydrogen plant in southern Spain [2], while companies from the United States, South Korea, and Australia are following suit [2]. The EU has set an ambitious target to produce 10 million metric tons of renewable hydrogen annually by 2030 [2]. However, I should note that currently less than 1% of global hydrogen production comes from renewable sources [2].

Cross-Border Collaboration

Just days ago, on December 19, the EU approved a groundbreaking €3 billion German-Dutch scheme to support renewable fuel production [5]. This collaboration will contribute to at least 1.875 GW of electrolysis capacity [5]. The impact could be substantial - estimates suggest it could help avoid up to 5.73 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent [5]. This kind of international cooperation is exactly what we need to make renewable hydrogen a reality.

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EU recognition Certification schemes