“Four years ago, clean hydrogen was the dream of a few visionaries. Today, the hydrogen economy is flourishing”, recalled the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on Monday 20 November, at the start of European Hydrogen Week 2023. This event, jointly organised from 20 to 24 November in Brussels by the European Commission, Hydrogen Europe and the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, brings together various key players involved in the hydrogen sector value chain.
The President of the Commission also highlighted tangible progress, such as the introduction of hydrogen-powered buses in Europe and the construction of a hydrogen network in Rotterdam. For his part, Maroš Šefčovič, the Commissioner responsible for the ‘European Green Deal’, stressed in his introductory speech that hydrogen represented “the missing link in our transition to climate neutrality”, marking a stronger European commitment to support this field.
The EU’s financial commitment to hydrogen was a key point of discussion. “We have authorised more than €17 billion in State aid for around 80 projects”, said Ursula von der Leyen, who also announced the imminent launch of the ‘European Hydrogen Bank’, a major initiative to catalyse public and private investment.
The subject of international cooperation was raised by representatives of the European Commission as a key strategy. Ms von der Leyen spoke of partnerships with various countries to develop the global hydrogen market, stressing the importance of building a global ecosystem. She was joined on this issue by Mr Šefčovič, who stressed the importance of fair trade relations: “We are seeking to forge balanced and fair trade relations with our international partners”.
Mr Šefčovič also stressed the importance of the ‘European Green Deal’ as Europe’s growth strategy for a sustainable future. The European Commissioner highlighted the major role of hydrogen in this context, both in maintaining European competitiveness and in achieving 'zero emission' targets.
The speeches by Ursula von der Leyen and Maroš Šefčovič sought to demonstrate the EU’s clear and determined vision for the future of hydrogen. As Ms von der Leyen announced, Europe is at the “dawn of the clean hydrogen era”. These efforts reflect the EU’s ambition to develop an integrated hydrogen market, playing a central role in the transition to a greener, more energy-efficient Europe. (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)