EU launches consultation on new hydrogen strategy

: Hydrogen
26/10/26

The European Commission launched a four-week consultation and call for evidence to help shape the bloc's new hydrogen strategy, which is scheduled for adoption in the fourth quarter of 2026.

Stakeholders, companies and organisations can provide feedback until 23 November. The consultation includes a public call for evidence and a targeted stakeholder consultation aimed at gathering feedback on the future direction of EU hydrogen policy.

In a consultation document, the commission said hydrogen production and consumption are developing more slowly than expected despite extensive policy support for projects across the value chain. The EU has supported hydrogen development through measures including the Innovation Fund, the European Hydrogen Bank, and the Connecting Europe Facility.

The commission said operational capacity and project pipelines are falling short of what would be needed to meet the EU's 2030 renewable hydrogen consumption targets. The document estimates that 3mn-4mn t/yr of renewable hydrogen would be needed by 2030 to meet existing targets. The EU currently consumes 7mn-8mn t/yr of hydrogen, mainly in refining and ammonia production, with most supply still derived from fossil fuels, according to the document.

The commission identified several barriers to market development, including high production costs, weak demand, lack of long-term offtake agreements, infrastructure delays and constraints in electricity networks.

According to the consultation paper, the revised strategy will set out a trajectory for renewable and low-carbon hydrogen deployment to 2040 and will focus on industrial competitiveness, infrastructure, financing, imports, technology development and international trade. The strategy will also examine emerging hydrogen sources, including natural hydrogen.

The new strategy will build on the EU Hydrogen Strategy adopted in 2020, which set out plans to scale up renewable hydrogen production and support demand across industry, transport and other hard-to-abate sectors as part of the bloc's broader decarbonisation efforts.

The commission said the strategy will be developed in parallel with the EU's post-2030 renewable energy framework and is intended to support the bloc's climate, competitiveness and energy security objectives.

By Pamela Machado

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