The European Union has made progress towards having at least 50 Hydrogen Valleys – local industrial or transport clusters where renewable hydrogen supply feeds local demand – under construction or operational by 2030, but important work still needs to be done.
Today, the Commission published a Staff Working Document outlining the strategic priorities and actions that are currently ongoing or planned. They comprise:
- The Commission will support a ‘Hydrogen Valley Facility’ through the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking, a public-private partnership under Horizon Europe, to help early-stage Hydrogen Valleys mature to the point where they can start construction.
- Building on the recently relaunched European Hydrogen Observatory, a new Clean Hydrogen Knowledge Hub will provide stakeholders with the information they require, allowing for automated data analysis and reporting to support knowledge-based decision making.
- Following the recent revision of the Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan, the Commission will work closely with Member States and stakeholders to implement the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) of the ERA Pilot on Green Hydrogen.
- The Commission has approved four successive waves of hydrogen Integrated Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEIs). Together, these initiatives aim to raise over EUR 43 billion from a blend of public and private funds, supporting more than 120 projects involving nearly 100 European companies.
- A European Hydrogen Academy has been launched in January 2024, with an EU contribution of EUR 3 million. The European Commission intends to transform it into a European Net-Zero Industry Academy as announced in the Net-Zero Industry Act, providing a broad portfolio of education, training and reskilling.
- The Commission will intensify the cooperation with international partners on clean hydrogen deployment and the development of hydrogen markets, in particular through the Clean Hydrogen Mission under Mission Innovation.
- The additional EUR 200 million invested by the Commission in the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking is being used to boost the support to Hydrogen Valleys across Europe.
Iliana Ivanova, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said:
“Clean hydrogen plays a significant role in our green energy transition and strategic energy independence. EU is at the cutting edge of hydrogen technologies thanks to long-term investment into research and innovation. Hydrogen Valleys are another important step forward. If policymakers and innovators join forces, we will achieve our aim of having at least 50 of them in operation or under construction by 2030 across the EU.”
Hydrogen Valleys, geographical areas where clean hydrogen is produced and locally used by households, local transportation and industrial plants, are the cornerstones of a viable European hydrogen economy. While originally being a European research and innovation concept, Hydrogen Valleys are now spreading across the globe.
The most advanced Hydrogen Valleys worldwide are brought together on the Mission Innovation Hydrogen Valley Platform that was launched in 2021, with 21 valleys in Europe. The counter currently stands at 98 valleys globally with 67 located in the EU. Out of the European Hydrogen Valleys, 17 have received support from the EU research and innovation programmes totalling EUR 262 million.
The majority of all valleys (around 3/4) is still in the early stages, and need support of various nature to mature to the point where they can reach final investment decision and start construction.
REPowerEU, the EU scheme aiming to reduce Europe’s dependence on fossil fuels, has topped up the contribution from Horizon Europe to the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking with EUR 200 million to accelerate the roll-out of Hydrogen Valleys across Europe.
More information
Energy research and innovation
Hydrogen research and innovation
Factsheet: REPowering the EU with Hydrogen Valleys
Press contact:
EC Spokesperson for Research, Science and Innovation
