WindEurope, SolarPower Europe and the Renewable Hydrogen Coalition are among signatories to an open letter pressing the European Council to prioritise renewable hydrogen technologies.
The European Council is expected to publish its conclusions on hydrogen which will then be adopted later this month.
The letter calls for a stronger prioritisation for renewable-based hydrogen, in line with the EU Hydrogen Strategy proposed by the European Commission on 8 July.
The letter states that renewable-hydrogen solutions are no longer prioritised, as per the European Commission’s proposal.
“Becoming a global leader in renewable hydrogen cannot be achieved without bold commitments,” the letter states.
It continued: “The European renewable success story was built on a clear political framework and targeted support schemes to spearhead innovation and accelerate economies of scale.
“In less than a decade wind and solar became the most cost-competitive sources of new power generation.
“To replicate this success in renewable hydrogen, signatories urge the Member States to commit to an ambitious regulatory framework.”
All low-carbon hydrogen solutions “in line with achieving climate neutrality”, including carbon capture and storage, are eligible for EU funding related to Recovery and Resilience plans and innovation support.
The role of CCS/CCU is explicitly singled out as a transition technology and the signatories point out that funding instruments and incentives should not be directed at transition technologies which are closer to market, but to future-proof technologies contributing to EU global leadership in renewable hydrogen, such as electrolysis and power-to-gas.
The letter states that a “clear prioritisation” towards renewable hydrogen solutions is essential to provide “investment certainty and unlock the significant investments needed by 2030”.
The letter added: “By making the appropriate choices and placing renewables at the core of Europe’s future energy system, Europe can lead the way in the global energy transformation and become a global leader in renewable hydrogen.
“Our companies stand ready to deliver this vision.”