Hydrogen has seen an unprecedented development in the year 2020. From an innovative niche technology, it is fast becoming a systemic element in the European Union’s (EU) efforts to transition to a climate neutral society in 2050. It will become a crucial energy vector and the other leg of the energy transition – alongside renewable electricity – by replacing coal, oil and gas across different segments of the economy. The rapid development of hydrogen is not only important for meeting the EU’s climate objectives but also for preserving and enhancing the EU’s industrial and economic competitiveness. 

The European Hydrogen Strategy has set ambitious targets with a view to developing a hydrogen economy. The strategy represents the first step towards success. Now, the EU needs to “act” to turn ambition into reality. The current hydrogen policy and regulatory elements of hydrogen are distributed over gas, electricity, fuels, emissions and industrial frameworks, with limited overarching coordination. It is time that hydrogen moves from an afterthought to a central pillar of the energy system and its key role in delivering climate neutrality means it merits a dedicated framework. The proposed “Hydrogen Act” is not a single piece of legislation, it is intended to be a vision for an umbrella framework aimed at harmonising and integrating all separate hydrogen related actions and legislations. The Hydrogen Act focuses on infrastructure and market aspects, describing three phases of development: the kick-start phase, the ramp-up phase and the market-growth phase.