17/03/2023 (Agence Europe) – Germany, Spain, Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Portugal and Luxembourg reiterated their position on low-carbon hydrogen and renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBO) in a joint ministerial letter to the Commission on Thursday 16 March. They consider that the production and use of low-carbon hydrogen and fuels should not be encouraged under the Renewable Energy Directive and the ‘gas’ directive, specifically when it comes to their inclusion in the overall 2030 target or other sectoral renewable energy deployment targets. Last month, nine other Member States warned, on the contrary, in a letter to the Commission, that the exclusion of low-carbon hydrogen, produced in particular thanks to electricity from nuclear power plants, would slow down the development of hydrogen, on which Europe is counting for the decarbonisation of its industry (see EUROPE 13112/8). (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)