In a working document published on Monday 2 June and dated 12 May, the European Commission carried out the first in-depth analysis of large-scale hydrogen deployment projects in the EU, confirming the difficult situation in the sector, with numerous delays.
The report assesses these projects in the context of four hydrogen-related important projects of common European interest on (IPCEI) - Hy2Tech, Hy2Use, Hy2Infra and Hy2Move, for which State aid notified by several Member States has been approved, but also the projects of the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance (ECH2A).
According to the analysis, almost two-thirds of IPCEI projects are experiencing delays and, of the 122 projects approved, 10 have been abandoned.
The main challenges include funding shortfalls, lack of buyers, immature technology, regulatory and licensing difficulties and rising costs, “given the still nascent state of the market”.
Nevertheless, by the end of 2024, 17 IPCEI projects had reached the construction phase, showing some progress on the previous year.
Of the 425 ECH2A projects, 77 had a final investment decision by 15 December 2024, but the lack of mandatory reporting requirements has resulted in a significant data gap. The Commission therefore considers it necessary to develop a monitoring framework using the data collected in an annual survey.
To see the document: https://aeur.eu/f/h5r (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)