European Commission executive vice-president Frans Timmermans agrees that accelerating permitting is a top priority
Permitting and regulation still a challenge for EU hydrogen
Complex regulatory environment slowing development of projects, industry players tell conference
Europe’s permitting and regulatory framework is one of the biggest hurdles to hydrogen projects, senior industry executives told the recent World Hydrogen Summit in Rotterdam. “On the regulation side and legislation, we have our Renewable Energy Directive, the delegated acts, and [the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism]—you name it. Somehow in Europe, we are world-class [in making] it really complex and difficult for both customers and producers,” says Axel Wietfeld, hydrogen CEO at Germany’s Uniper. “We know how to handle hydrogen safely and we want to make sure it is widely accessible for use” Wietfeld, Uniper “And our experience is it just takes so long, the application process it
Also in this section
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
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
