‘Fit for 55’ could torpedo EU hydrogen
Overly stringent rules on renewable additionality will severely hamper the development of the sector, says letter from over 60 hydrogen sector firms
More than 60 firms involved in the hydrogen sector have signed a letter to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen raising concerns that the development of the hydrogen economy in the EU could be seriously impeded without revisions on rules for renewable generation. Currently the EU’s ‘Fit for 55’ package delegates responsibility for rules on the production of renewable hydrogen from electricity to the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II). But the requirements of RED II for renewable fuels to prove additionality—coupled with rules on the time and distance between renewable energy generation and its consumption in an electrolyser—could hinder investment in capacity, the letter says.
Also in this section
18 February 2026
Norwegian energy company has dropped a major hydrogen project and paused its CCS expansion plans as demand fails to materialise
4 February 2026
Europe’s largest electrolyser manufacturers are losing patience with policymakers as sluggish growth in the green hydrogen sector undermines their decision to expand production capacity
2 February 2026
As a fertiliser feedstock, it is indispensable, but ammonia’s potential as a carbon-free energy carrier is also making it central to global decarbonisation strategies
28 January 2026
The development of hydrogen’s distribution system must speed up if the industry is to stand any chance of grabbing a meaningful slice of the low-carbon energy market






