We are delighted to launch this guide to Europe's hydrogen industry.
The guide covers the main regulatory frameworks in key European
jurisdictions for the production, transportation and sale of green
hydrogen, identify common themes and challenges between different
jurisdictions and touch on overarching EU rules governing the
production and distribution of hydrogen.
Having previously been largely covered by gas regulation, as of
2023 the production, storage and transportation of hydrogen in the
EU has its own set of rules, with Member States and the UK working
to bring their regulatory frameworks up to speed.
Some of the new regulations brought in to govern the hydrogen
market have been interpreted as unnecessarily complicated and
restrictive. Questions also hang over the definition of
'green' hydrogen.
Regulatory intransigence and uncertainty are both major obstacles
to private investment in hydrogen projects, and put Europe at risk
of falling behind the hydrogen markets in places like China,
Australia, the Middle East and the US.
As is often the case when it comes to new energy technologies,
industry participants are looking for solid commercial routes
through the regulatory quagmire to establish a flourishing and
scalable market.
In this guide, we have included some case studies of our work
advising clients on navigating hydrogen regulation and commercial
contract issues, and an interview documenting the first-hand
experience of one hydrogen developer.
For each of the countries covered (Belgium, France, Germany,
Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and the UK), our hydrogen
experts look specifically at:
1. Regulatory requirements for hydrogen energy installations and
electrolysers
- Key legislation
- Key regulatory bodies
- Anticipated near-term regulatory changes
2. Support schemes
- Accessing support schemes
3. Selling hydrogen
- Selling opportunities
- Hydrogen purchase agreements (HPAs)
- Key legal and commercial issues in HPAs
View the full Shaping Europe's hydrogen economy report.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
