Hydrogen Europe says that the auction will be launched before the end of 2026. Meanwhile, according to its CEO, hydrogen is being recognised more for its geopolitical role, less and less for its climate potential.
The European Commission is expected to publish the draft terms and conditions of the fourth auction of the European Union Hydrogen Bank (EHB) before the end of June. According to Hydrogen Europe, the auction will be launched before the end of the year. The association recommends more flexible deadlines for entry into operation and stricter criteria for financial close, while enabling coordinated use of production and demand support between the EHB and future offtaker projects.
Over the past year, the European hydrogen market has become increasingly detached from the emissions reduction strategy linked to the Paris Agreement, said Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, CEO of Hydrogen Europe, arguing that hydrogen growth in Europe is now driven primarily by geopolitical factors. “Europeans are now waking up. We are facing job losses, especially in industry. Fossil molecules as a commodity are now gone. We have also moved beyond purely climate-focused policies. It is now about climate and resilience,” Chatzimarkakis said during a speech at Intersolar in Munich, Germany. “Reliability of supply is the core of resilience,” he added, noting that the cost of electricity curtailment in Europe, which reached €5.6 billion in 2025, is expected to rise to €24 billion by 2030. Chatzimarkakis said that if the industry fails to convince policymakers to shift from a “green premium” to a “resilience premium,” “Europe will lose.” He also argued that the EU emissions trading system (ETS) should serve as a foundation for Europe’s resilience framework.
