EU eyes tighter rules in future green auctions
Larger bond payments and shorter startup windows likely as EU looks to build on success of inaugural European Hydrogen Bank auction
Projects bidding for subsidies via future rounds of the EU’s European Hydrogen Bank auction are expected to face stricter requirements, including tighter startup deadlines and the need to pay larger deposits, according to EU officials. The second auction, scheduled to take place by the end of this year, is expected to require bidding green hydrogen projects to start up within three years of subsidy awards, compared to five years under the recently completed first auction. Under the auction rules, projects failing to meet the startup deadline lose their deposit, or completion bond, which was set at 4% of the subsidy value for the first auction. Future auction rounds could see the bond raised
Also in this section
14 January 2026
Continent’s governments must seize the green hydrogen opportunity by refining policies and ramping up the development of supply chains and infrastructure
6 January 2026
Shifts in government policy and rising power demand will shape the clean hydrogen sector as it attempts to gain momentum following a sluggish performance in 2025
23 December 2025
Government backing and inflow of private capital point to breakthrough year for rising star of the country’s clean energy sector
19 December 2025
The hydrogen industry faces an important choice: coordinated co-evolution or patched-together piecemeal development. The way forward is integrated co-evolution, and freight corridors are a good example






