Spanish legal framework holding back green hydrogen
Madrid has committed to public investment and updating regulations, but developers are waiting for reforms including guarantee of origin system
Spain has the potential to become one of the most significant EU hubs for green hydrogen due to its high renewables capacity, but experts have warned it must first develop an effective regulatory framework and guarantee of origin system. The Spanish government approved a roadmap in October 2020 that would see it invest €1.5bn in green hydrogen projects as well as enact other regulatory measures, with the goal of installing 4GW of electrolysers by 2030. “Developers do not currently see a clear regulatory framework” Diez, Watson Farley & Williams The plan involves constructing 150 retail hydrogen stations and sets a goal for green hydrogen to contribute a minimum of 25pc of all
Also in this section
18 March 2026
The second fossil-fuel price shock in four years can be a much-needed catalyst for investment in the sector
9 March 2026
Hydrogen has not stalled in the UK because the technology does not work. The problem is that the system around it does not yet move at the speed required
4 March 2026
Turmoil in Middle East reminds nascent clean hydrogen sector that its future prospects are dependent on global energy markets and geopolitics
25 February 2026
Low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia development is advancing much more slowly and unevenly than once expected, with high costs and policy uncertainty thinning investment. Meanwhile, surging energy demand is reinforcing the role of natural gas and LNG as the backbone of the global energy system, panellists at LNG2026 said






