Germany, France, the Netherlands and six other European Union countries have called for EU legislation to increase funding in support of hydrogen – a low-carbon technology – in line for cash from the bloc’s coronavirus recovery fund. 

The European Commission has pledged to use its proposed €750 billion recovery fund to support clean hydrogen – a fuel that can be produced using renewable power and which can replace fossil fuels in polluting industrial processes. 

The energy ministers of Germany, Austria, France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg on Monday said this funding must be backed by legislation. 

In a joint declaration, they called on the Commission to “present a timely action plan followed by legislative proposals to enable a flexible, fit-for-purpose regulatory approach and to stimulate a liquid market for hydrogen in the coming years.” 

EU energy ministers are meeting on Monday 15th June to discuss the Commission’s recovery fund proposal, which member states will debate on Friday. 

The countries called for EU hydrogen production targets for 2030 and a labelling system to incentivise use of “clean” versions of the fuel. 

The EU consumes around 8 million tonnes of hydrogen each year, most of which is produced from fossil gas, rather than re newable power. 

“In sectors like industry and transport, it is the missing link in the energy transition. To make this happen we need to scale up and reduce the cost of clean hydrogen,” Dutch economy and energy minister Eric Wiebes said. 

The Commission should also assess how EU gas infrastructure can be repurposed to carry hydrogen, including through reforms to the bloc’s energy infrastructure legislation, the countries said. 

The Commission plans to publish an EU hydrogen plan later this month. 

Germany and the Netherlands have already announced national strategies. Germany last week pledged €9 billion from its coronavirus economic recovery package to scale up production of clean hydrogen fuel.  

Reported by Kate Abnett 

Sourced Reuters 

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