EU will not meet its hydrogen target, warn business leaders
The EU will not meet its zero-emission hydrogen targets, key business leaders warned at the World Hydrogen Summit 2023 in Rotterdam. Business leaders say the target will not be met due to complex EU regulations. While efforts are being made to support and accelerate hydrogen projects, executives say that final investment decisions are being held back by both regulatory ambiguity and uncertain demand.
In order to reach its target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 and discontinue all energy imports from Russia, the EU would have to produce 10 million tonnes of zero-emission hydrogen by 2030, with a further 10 million tonnes of zero-emission hydrogen to be imported. .
The uncertainty is partly due to the EU only just publishing the definition of green hydrogen in March, after a two-year delay, due to technical disagreements over how to prevent hydrogen from absorbing renewable energy that could otherwise go directly to the grid.
The EU will organise the first auction for green hydrogen production in autumn 2023. A subsidy of €800 million is available.
