European industry body wants e-SAF auction mechanism

Market: Hydrogen
19/02/25

A group of firms from Europe's aviation and hydrogen sectors has proposed a "double-sided" auction mechanism to unlock up to 300,000 t/yr of renewable hydrogen-based sustainable aviation fuel (e-SAF) supply in a bid to meet EU targets.

In a letter to European Commission officials, the Project SkyPower group has proposed five "critical policy interventions" to boost e-SAF production and consumption. The letter was signed by more than 70 organisations, including aircraft makers Airbus and Boeing, airlines Air France-KLM, SAS and easyJet, project developers Norsk E-fuel, HIF and CIP, financing bodies ING and KGAL and industry groups Hydrogen Europe and Transport and Environment.

The requests include a proposed auction mechanism similar to the German government-backed H2Global system for renewable hydrogen and derivatives that could be run by the same intermediary, Hintco, or another body.

The intermediary body would hold 10-15 year purchase contract auctions for producers and then separate 3-5 year sale agreement auctions with buyers.

The difference between production costs and buying prices would be bridged by revenues from the EU's Emissions Trading System (ETS), with a "short-term funding" pot of €3bn ($3.1bn) able to support between 100,000-300,000 t/yr of e-SAF production capacity, or between 2-6 50,000 t/yr plants, the Project SkyPower group said. This could be sufficient to cover roughly half the supply needed to meet the EU's binding target for e-SAF to constitute 1.2pc of all jet fuel consumed by 2030-31, the group said.

The €3bn funding "would be equal to 20pc of total cumulative ETS revenues expected from aviation in the period 2030-39," Project SkyPower said.

A first pilot round of the H2Global mechanism had included a specific pot for e-SAF production, but this was not allocated because of a lack of bidders.

As the launch of a double-sided mechanism would take time to take effect, the EU should also establish a "bridging mechanism" that would guarantee priority access in the auctions for "the first few pioneering large-scale e-SAF projects" — which aim to reach a final investment decision by 2025-27 — Project SkyPower said.

The group has urged clarity on the e-SAF mandates, saying a review of the ReFuelEU Aviation rules, scheduled for 2027, is creating uncertainty. EU member states should "be urged to publish transparent and harmonised penalty systems" this quarter, it said.

More broadly, Project SkyPower wants the commission to make e-SAF a "strategic priority" in the bloc's Clean Industrial Deal.

Argus is tracking 38 e-SAF projects in the EU that are planned or operational. These could together provide over 2mn t/yr of e-SAF if built as planned. But the vast majority are in very early development stages and no large-scale plant has yet reached a FID.

By Jethro Robathan

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02/04/25

UK to sign remaining CfDs for first H2 round in May

Birmingham, 2 April (Argus) — The UK hopes to sign long-awaited subsidy contracts with the remaining projects from its first hydrogen allocation round (HAR1) in May, minister of state for the department of energy security and net zero, Sarah Jones, said. The UK will also "very shortly" unveil a shortlist of projects selected for subsidies of a larger second round (HAR2), Jones said at the Hydrogen UK conference in Birmingham today. But the announcement will hardly satisfy UK developers who have been expecting the shortlist any day since late 2024 . The missing list was the top talking point among delegates at the event. The UK has signed 15-year contracts-for-difference (CfDs) with four of the 11 renewable hydrogen projects selected in HAR1 , according to the latest information from the Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC), the government-backed counterparty. Finalising the rest of the CfDs is long-overdue in the eyes of many developers because the UK first announced its winners in December 2023. The process was delayed by the general election last summer and concerns around the Climate Change Levy (CCL) charged on electricity supply, among other issues. The new government took a step towards assuaging concerns about the CCL last week which might allow more projects to sign contracts. But HAR1 developers have warned that signing a CfD does not guarantee they will build projects straight away, since there is hardly any penalty for signing the subsidy deal. Some still need to finalise deals for power supply, construction contracts and financing, meaning it could still take time for signatories to take their final investment decisions. The UK will also update its hydrogen strategy later this year, Jones said. "New evidence has emerged on cost, demand and expected operating patterns, and our understanding has evolved with time," including on "how we can expect the hydrogen economy to develop over time," Jones said. The statements could indicate that the Labour government might amend the 10GW clean hydrogen production target set by the previous administration for 2030, according to one industry participant. The Conservative government's 10GW goal from 2022 had included a sub-target for 6GW electrolytic production capacity. The government will also reconsider the role of hydrogen in making steel in the UK, Jones said. The idea of using hydrogen for steel appeared to have little future in the UK under the previous government as concepts from the UK's steel plants had made no tangible progress . By Aidan Lea Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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US H2 projects stall, incentives fall short: Technip

28/03/25

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28/03/25

US H2 projects stall, incentives fall short: Technip

London, 28 March (Argus) — Many US hydrogen project developers have paused or cancelled plans after finding costs were too high and government incentives were insufficient, even before President Donald Trump's return to the White House added uncertainty, Paris-listed contractor Technip Energies has said. Developers rushed to hire contractors for project studies in 2022-23 in a wave of optimism after the US announced tax credits for hydrogen production , but many projects were shelved or suspended between the end of 2023 and mid-2024. This came as companies realised the true cost of many items not limited to CO2 capture, hydrogen storage, and hydrogen liquefaction, Technip Energies' director Randy Kessler said. Multiple developers hired Technip for feasibility studies and engineering designs so it witnessed the drop-off in project plans first hand, Kessler said. Renewable hydrogen projects faced the most challenges, but gas-based projects with carbon capture and storage (CCS) "did not fare too well either", Kessler said. "Nearly all" renewable hydrogen projects were suspended when true capital and operating costs became known, especially compared with conventional 'grey' hydrogen, Kessler said. "Economics generally prevail in the long run, and at 5-8 times the cost of grey H2 production, most big players and project developers found out the incentives did not cover the gap," he said. Most of Technip Energies' clients pursuing CCS-enabled projects eventually asked for estimates for conventional grey hydrogen plants, with "pre-investment" to add CO2 capture units in the future, Kessler said. Washington made matters worse for developers with "confusing" incentives and delays in finalising eligibility rules for the tax credits, which it only settled on in early 2025 , just weeks before the change in administration. "The people who made money were the consultants who told people what it all meant," Kessler said. The late-2024 US election became both an "issue" and an "an excuse" for developers to explain the lack of progress, Kessler said. Many US firms complained that political uncertainty during the election period hampered their business decisions. Politically powerful energy companies lobbying Washington for "appropriate levels of incentives to cover the gap" or relaxing tax credit rules to lower project costs would be the most likely way to revive the sector, Kessler said. The US could consider setting mandates, but this is unlikely unless there is "more global buy-in", he said. Few regions, aside from the EU, have proposed mandates, and even there they have not been firmly implemented. But US firms and industrial groups are focusing lobbying efforts on protecting the hydrogen tax credits rather than quibbling over the rules, US sources said. The return of Trump to the White House made the future of the tax credits less certain because of his preference for boosting US fossil fuel output over investing in clean energy. Another contracting firm, Black & Veatch, recently said it was unsurprised to see many speculative projects fall by the wayside, and that the best route forward is better quality and modestly-sized projects with clear offtakers. By Aidan Lea Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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US mulls cutting funds to H2 hubs outside of GOP states

27/03/25

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27/03/25

US mulls cutting funds to H2 hubs outside of GOP states

Houston, 27 March (Argus) — The US Department of Energy (DOE) is considering cutting funding to hydrogen hubs that are located in primarily Democratic states, while sparing those mostly spread across Republican states, according to a list shared with Argus . A table circulating among officials shows hubs that are to receive federal funding labeled as either "cut" or "keep." Out of the seven hubs, only three are set to "keep": HyVelocity, in Texas and Louisiana, the Appalachian hub spanning Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia and the Heartland hub spread across Minnesota, South Dakota and North Dakota. The hubs that may lose federal support include California's ARCHES; the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association (PNWH2) spanning Oregon, Washington and Montana; the Midwest hub encompassing Illinois, Indiana and Michigan, and the Mid-Atlantic hub in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey. 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Federal funding for the hubs grew out of the bipartisan Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act, which together dedicated $8bn to jump start domestic hydrogen production in industrial clusters from the east to west coasts. The funding was structured to pay out to the hubs over four phases spanning a decade, with disbursements dependent upon projects meeting defined objectives related to operational progress and private-investment commitments. The first tranches to the seven hubs, totaling over $20mn, have been delivered but the list of potential cuts puts the fate of the second phase into doubt. "So far the Trump administration hasn't attempted to claw back that phase-one funding," said Sara Gersen, senior attorney for Earthjustice. "The question is, what happens in 2026 when they try to renew contracts for phase 2?" ARCHES chief executive Angelina Galiteva said the California hub "remains committed to working with our partners to establish a secure, reliable and competitive hydrogen ecosystem". Spokespeople for the others hubs vulnerable to losing federal funds did not immediately respond to requests for comment. However, at least one of the hubs put out a public statement highlighting how its goals align with the administration's objectives. "Many of these opportunities will support rural communities" and "advance American energy independence", the Pacific Northwest hub said in a social media post. Environmental advocates argue that the climate benefits from hydrogen originating from natural gas with CCS, the technology proposed for projects on the "keep" list, evaporate when net emissions are taken into account and do not justify the potentially billions of dollars in federal support they may receive when compared to other decarbonization techniques. "Spending billions of dollars on untested carbon capture technology in applications with no net-climate benefit is a waste of taxpayer money," said Anika Juhn, IEEFA energy data analyst and co-author of the report Blue Hydrogen's Carbon Capture Boondogle . "Building out renewable power infrastructure, improving energy efficiency, and reducing methane leakage from the natural gas system are more cost-effective and proven approaches to a clean energy transition." For now, both fossil-fuel based and renewable energy companies have been lobbying the Trump administration to keep clean energy incentives enacted by the IRA without differentiating how the hydrogen is produced. The potential cut to federal funding is not expected to affect industry support for the most lucrative incentives that come in the form of tax cuts, such as the support that has coalesced around protecting the 45V hydrogen production credit, said Wolak. "I don't see any change to the agenda of 45V, that effort is primary," said Wolak. "I see an effort perhaps arising to define the hubs and the merit of the hubs rising parallel to the 45V effort." FCHEA is advising its members that may be affected by hub funding cuts to contact their congressional representatives, Wolak said. By Jasmina Kelemen Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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US hydrogen hype gives way to more practical prospects

21/03/25

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21/03/25

US hydrogen hype gives way to more practical prospects

Developers have reined in expectations, seeking faster commerciality for more specific applications, writes Jasmina Kelemen Houston, 21 March (Argus) — Hydrogen's one-time promise as a wonder fuel has been replaced in 2025 with a more practical understanding of its limitations, a momentum shift welcomed by industry proponents who gathered in Houston, Texas, last week at the CERAWeek by S&P Global energy conference. It has been a roller-coaster ride for the sector since the administration of President Joe Biden zeroed in on hydrogen as a means of reducing emissions and creating jobs, unveiling generous tax incentives in 2022's Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). A frenzy of project proposals soon followed. That excitement dissolved into a frustrating wait as the administration embarked on a years-long review process that only concluded in January with the release of finalised rules for the 45V production tax credits, leading some to conclude the hydrogen dream had crashed before take-off. The reality is more nuanced. "The death of hydrogen has been greatly exaggerated," Chevron's vice-president of hydrogen, Austin Knight, said at CERAWeek. "There are real projects actually happening," he said, pointing to the company's ACES Delta joint venture with Mitsubishi Power. The Utah project is forecast to initially convert 220MW of renewable power into 100 t/d of hydrogen, and will begin operations this year. Whittling the sector down to its most realistic prospects is a welcome departure from previous years, when hydrogen was viewed as the "Swiss army knife" of fuels — a tool that could be used to solve almost any problem — Oleksiy Tatarenko, senior principal at Rocky Mountain Institute, said. It is now being viewed as a more precise approach for specific applications in ‘hard-to-abate' industries such as steel and chemicals, he said. BP still sees hydrogen as an important component to decarbonising refineries, but its deployment timeline will be longer than expected, BP's senior vice-president of refining, terminals and pipelines, Amber Russell, said. BP has scaled back hydrogen plans, shelving 18 projects since October. Of those remaining, two include refineries in countries with fiscal incentives for hydrogen production, and near other industries looking to cut emissions. BP's 440,000 b/d Whiting refinery in Indiana could have similar potential, Russell said, but "45V ...and the IRA are incredibly important to helping us understand when that happens". One among many Hydrogen's shifting position in the clean energy landscape could even be seen in the CERAWeek conference's floor plan this year. In a space for showcasing new technologies and ideas, the Hydrogen Hub of previous years had disappeared, replaced by a New Energies Hub, under which hydrogen was just one of multiple clean-energy solutions on display, along with biofuels, nuclear power and other renewables. "That is a positive thing for this space writ large," GTI Energy's Open Hydrogen Initiative executive director, Zane McDonald, said. "We are starting to get very practical," he said. "We want to focus on projects that are going to make money, that have an offtaker and can materialise in the next two years." Among the projects expected to take off most rapidly are those that can tap into demand for lower-carbon fuels in Europe and Asia or more modestly sized US producers located near specialty industries that are looking to curb emissions. "The quality of the projects we're seeing in our pipeline is better," said Black & Veatch hydrogen and ammonia director Bryan Mandelbaum, who sees a growing niche for 10-200MW projects targeting heavy industries such as chemical processors. He contrasted this favourably with a flurry of clients that appeared after the 45V tax was first announced. "It was good for business in the short term, but at the same time you knew 80pc of those were never going to develop." Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Green fuel supply needs a boost: Danish Shipping

19/03/25

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19/03/25

Green fuel supply needs a boost: Danish Shipping

New York, 19 March (Argus) — Production of zero-emission fuels needs to be increased to a level which will lower the cost of buying the fuel and help accelerate the transition to green fuels, according to Danish Shipping in a new report. Consumption of zero-emissions fuels needs to reach 27pc of total energy consumption by 2036 and 93pc by 2046 to reach the maritime industry's goal of net-zero emissions by 2050, Danish Shipping, an industry trade group, said in the new report listing 10 recommendations on how Denmark's government can increase green fuel production. The Danish government should allocate a larger share of projected revenue from the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) for producing zero-emission fuels, Danish Shipping said. About 3.8bn Danish krone ($555mn) of annual revenue is expected from the Danish shipping industry to fund EU ETS once it is fully implemented next year, according to the report. "Revenue from the EU ETS could be effectively used as an earmarked support scheme for shipping's green transition – covering both fuel production and offtake," Danish Shipping said. The FuelEU maritime regulation requires ship operators traveling in, out and within EU territorial waters to gradually reduce their GHG intensity on a lifecycle basis, starting with a 2pc reduction in 2025, 6pc in 2030, reaching an 80pc reduction by 2050, compared with 2020 base year levels. The Danish government should also set up financial mechanisms to support green shipping, Danish Shipping said, like establishing competitive bids for contracts and sending money to the EU hydrogen bank and EU Innovation Fund that would go towards green fuel production projects. The government should set up green shipping corridors in the North and Baltic seas. According to Danish Shipping, this would help make the Nordic region a leader in green shipping and incentivize suppliers, port authorities and shipping companies to transition to zero-emission fuel. Singapore and Rotterdam have set up green shipping corridors to facilitate green shipping for vessels travelling between those ports. By Luis Gronda Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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