European Commission backs hydrogen innovation, funding will also go to Czechia

The European Commission has approved an Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) to support research and innovation in hydrogen technologies. The project, called "IPCEI Hy2Tech", was jointly prepared and notified by fifteen Member States, including the Czech Republic.

The development of hydrogen technologies is among the European Union’s key energy priorities and is gaining further importance amid the current energy crisis. This was reflected, for example, in the REPowerEU plan, which calls for accelerating the transition to hydrogen and increasing its imports from abroad.

However, this is a relatively new application of the technology, which has so far been used rather rarely in the energy sector. This is also why the European Commission approved the IPCEI Hy2Tech project, allocating a total of EUR 5.4 billion to it. The European Commission expects these subsidies to mobilise a further EUR 8.8 billion in private-sector investment, while also accelerating the use of hydrogen in energy and industry in general.

"Hydrogen has enormous potential for the future. It is an indispensable part of diversifying energy sources and transitioning to green solutions. However, investments in such innovative technologies can be risky for a Member State or a specific company. The IPCEI Hy2Tech project is an example of truly ambitious European cooperation pursuing a common European goal," European Commission Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager said in a statement.

IPCEI Hy2Tech will cover a broad range of hydrogen technologies, including hydrogen production, fuel cells, hydrogen storage, transport and distribution, and end-user technologies. A total of 41 projects from 35 companies will receive support.

Among others, the support should also go to the Czech Republic. The Czech subsidiary of IVECO succeeded in obtaining support for projects in fuel cells and end-user technologies. Slovakia also has one representative, with natural gas storage company NAFTA securing support. Other successful companies include major energy players such as Italy’s Enel and Denmark’s Orsted.