Source: European Parliament
The REPowerEU Plan[1] suggested an aspirational target of 10 million tonnes of EU renewable hydrogen production and 10 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen imports by 2030 to lower the imports of Russian fossil fuels, proposing to increase the mandatory targets for renewable hydrogen consumption in industry and the transport sector.
The co-legislators decided on a lower level of binding 2030 targets under the Renewable Energy Directive[2]. In addition, the co-legislators also agreed on mandatory targets for renewable hydrogen consumption in industry in 2035 and laid out pathways in the aviation[3] and maritime[4] sector to promote the uptake of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen up to 2050.
There is no hydrogen production target for 2040 set out in the European legislation.
The Commission’s internal estimate for renewable hydrogen uptake by 2030 based on the above mandatory targets is three to six million tons.
The Commission is focusing on the work with Member States, including through an assessment of their National Energy and Climate Plans, to ensure the timely transposition of the mandatory demand volumes and other recent hydrogen legislation.
This will contribute to provide the sector with the necessary visibility to carry out its investments.