LEAK: EU puts onus on ‘renewable hydrogen’ in latest draft strategy

(EurActiv, 22 Jun 2020) An updated version of the European Commission’s draft hydrogen strategy confirms the EU’s “priority focus” on clean hydrogen produced from renewable electricity, but also recognises the role played by “fossil-based hydrogen” in the transition.

“Renewable hydrogen” produced from wind and solar power is “the most compatible option with the EU’s climate neutrality goal in the long term and is the priority focus” of the EU executive, states the latest draft of the strategy, seen by EURACTIV.

“The choice for renewable hydrogen builds on Europe’s industrial strength in electrolyser production,” the EU executive argues in the document – due for official publication on 8 July –  confirming the main thrust of an earlier draft which surfaced last week.

Gigawatt-scale green hydrogen factories

The EU’s main objective is to rapidly decrease the price of clean hydrogen by rolling out “dedicated gigawatt-scale green hydrogen factories”.

At least 4GW of electrolysers would be deployed across the EU by 2024 to reach that objective, with “at least 40 GW” installed by 2030.

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EurActiv, 22 Jun 2020: LEAK: EU puts onus on ‘renewable hydrogen’ in latest draft strategy