Everything you need to know about green hydrogen

Often seen as a future solution for decarbonizing industry and transportation, it is at the heart of international and national strategies. As promising as it is controversial, this renewable energy (RE) raises as many hopes as it does questions. We're taking stock with you!

What are Europe's key actions in favor of hydrogen?

To achieve carbon neutrality, Europe is committed to the ecological transition of the economy. Through the European Green Deal, it aims to reorganize the entire energy supply and create a clean, affordable, and secure energy system.

With this in mind, in 2020, the European Commission proposed a dedicated hydrogen strategy, which will accelerate its development, making this renewable energy a pillar of the 2050 carbon neutrality objective. However, it is only since 2022 that we have known the 20 key actions of the EU Hydrogen Strategy (COM/2020/301). Among these flagship measures, hydrogen plays an important role in the recovery plans of 15 Member States, which are planning €9.3 billion of investments in this sector. In Europe, more than 750 projects — in transport, industry, dedicated infrastructure, etc. — have been identified to boost green hydrogen.

Under the REPowerEU plan, hydrogen is also seen as a lever to reduce Europe's energy dependence on Russian gas. The EU is banking, for example, on the development of "Hydrogen Valleys." What does this mean? Regional clusters integrating the production, distribution, and use of hydrogen, with a target of 50 operational valleys by 2030.

🔢 Key figures

• For the period 2021-2027, total EU funding for hydrogen-related projects is currently estimated at €18.8 billion. (Source)

Should we produce our hydrogen in France or import it?

Renewable hydrogen is an energy lever for the future, particularly for France, which sees it as an alternative for decarbonizing French industry. However, several questions about the future are raised. Do you think we can produce it competitively on national territory? Wouldn't importing represent a more economical and sustainable option?

Currently, approximately 400,000 tonnes of carbon-based hydrogen are produced from fossil gas and consumed by French industry. This represents the emission of 4 million tonnes of CO2! However, France has set itself the goal of achieving a production capacity of 6.5 gigawatts of renewable hydrogen by 2030, equivalent to 600,000 tonnes of hydrogen.

🚧 Current projects

• In Port-Jérôme, Air Liquide Normand’Hy plans to produce 200 MW of renewable hydrogen by 2025.
• In La Mède (PACA), TotalEnergie and ENGIE will produce 5 tonnes of renewable hydrogen per day on average via “Masshylia”. (Source)

Ademe (the ecological transition agency), for its part, is more measured. It estimates that France will barely reach 0.3 gigawatts of installed production capacity by 2026. In the medium term (2030 vision), the scenarios envisaged are more encouraging, considering that French hydrogen production would remain competitive with its neighbors. On the other hand, by 2050, it issues more nuanced conclusions that suggest a real need for underground transport and storage infrastructure, at the risk of a decline in competitiveness.

"If we want to be able totransport hydrogen in industrial quantities, we have two options: compression and transport by pipeline, like natural gas, or liquefaction to transport it by ship, like liquefied natural gas.These two options represent significant technological and technical challenges, because the pipelines and ships capable of transporting hydrogen over long distances do not yet exist. Liquefying hydrogen is also very energy-intensive and requires cooling the hydrogen to -250°C! This is why there is an alternative: produce hydrogen and use it directly on site (or nearby) or to manufacture "derived products", which could be needed for the industrial transition. " emphasizes Luc Bodineau, coordinator of the Hydrogen program at ADEME.

A new national roadmap for hydrogen?

🔢 The key figures

• Since 2020, the State has supported more than 150 hydrogen projects. (Source)

The Interministerial Innovation Committee was held at the Centre Georges Pompidou on April 10, 2025. On this occasion, the Prime Minister announced the update of the National Hydrogen Strategy. Why? To accelerate, structure, and optimize the development of the hydrogen sector. Today, the focus is on:

• a financial plan of €4 billion to support the production of low-carbon hydrogen to secure its competitiveness over 15 years;
• a call for projects "Hydrogen Technology Building Blocks IDH2" with ADEME, as well as another to deploy hydrogen-powered utility vehicles;
• support measures for studies on synthetic fuel projects.

With this update, the French government reaffirms its commitment to green hydrogen. In your opinion, does this ambition meet the industrial and climate challenges?

Green hydrogen in Port-La Nouvelle with Hyd’Occ

Did you know that a project dedicated to green hydrogen was launched in Port-La Nouvelle? Led by Groupe Qair and AREC Occitanie (regional energy and climate agency) – two local players in the energy transition – a green hydrogen production unit using water electrolysis is contributing to the decarbonization of intensive mobility (trucks, trailers, coaches, trains, maritime, river…) and industry.

As Carole Delga, former minister, President of the Occitanie Pyrénées-Méditerranée Region, President of the AD’OCC agency, points out: “Occitanie is a pioneer in the development of green hydrogen. We are at the forefront of all uses: support for local ecosystems and training, production, assistance with Research & Development… Hyd’Occ is one of the symbols of a proactive approach that reconciles economic development, job creation in the regions, decarbonization of our activities and energy sovereignty.” Part of a strong local eco-dynamic, Hyd’Occ is also certified by the Pôle Mer Méditerranée. Something to make the energy transition stakeholders proud, helping to make Port-La Nouvelle the port of energy transition in Occitanie.

💡 Good to know

• The installation will be connected to the national electricity grid, as well as to the future offshore wind farm off the coast of Port-la-Nouvelle.

To learn more about this topic...

→ Mathieu Detournay, financial analyst at Enerfip Spain, explains everything you need to know about green hydrogen.