• €992M in EU funding awarded to 15 hydrogen projects, targeting 2.2M tonnes of renewable hydrogen and over 15M tonnes of CO₂ reduction over 10 years.
• Dedicated maritime hydrogen support of €96.7M signals shift toward decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors like shipping.
• Up to €836M in additional national funding leveraged through ‘Auctions-as-a-Service’ by Spain, Lithuania, and Austria to back more projects.

The European Commission has selected 15 renewable hydrogen production projects across five countries in the European Economic Area (EEA), unlocking €992 million in public funding through the Innovation Fund. This strategic move is aimed at accelerating the production of nearly 2.2 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen over the next decade, offsetting more than 15 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions.

“These auctions help bridge the gap between production costs and market price, fast-tracking the deployment of clean hydrogen,” said the Commission.

The selected projects span critical sectors such as transportation, chemical manufacturing, and the production of methanol and ammonia. The support, delivered through the second European Hydrogen Bank (EHB) auction, is designed to close the cost gap for green hydrogen and replace fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas in high-emission industries.

Twelve of the projects will operate under a fixed premium support scheme, ranging from €0.20 to €0.60 per kilogramme of hydrogen. Additionally, for the first time, the auction included €96.7 million in targeted grants for projects supplying the maritime sector—where three bids were selected with premium needs ranging from €0.45 to €1.88 per kilogramme.

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In a parallel move, Spain, Lithuania, and Austria are activating the ‘Auctions-as-a-Service’ mechanism, pledging up to €836 million in national funding to support eligible local projects that could not be financed via the Innovation Fund. This system allows Member States to tap into the EU’s centralized auction platform while simplifying procedures for deploying national funds.

“The Hydrogen Bank auctions are scaling up renewable hydrogen and replacing fossil fuels across the continent,” the Commission noted, “strengthening EU energy independence while supporting industry decarbonisation and job creation.”

Each of the 15 selected projects will receive between €8 million and €246 million over a period of up to 10 years. These projects are now invited to prepare grant agreements with the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA), with contracts expected to be signed by September/October 2025. All projects must reach financial close within 2.5 years of signing and begin hydrogen production within five years.

Looking ahead, a third EHB auction with a budget of up to €1 billion is scheduled for late 2025. In addition, the Commission will soon launch the Hydrogen Mechanism, an online platform designed to connect buyers and sellers, facilitate information sharing, and support commercial matchmaking within the hydrogen economy.

Read the full press release here.

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