Author: Arnes Biogradlija

Fortescue Metals Group’s decision to eliminate approximately 90 positions across its green hydrogen division signals more than a workforce reduction—it’s a barometer of a sector grappling with underperformance and policy headwinds. The cuts, which affect the company’s Gladstone PEM50 electrolyser project in Queensland and facilities in Western Australia, follow a strategic pivot from manufacturing to research and development. While Fortescue remains vocal about its long-term commitment to green hydrogen, the near-term outlook reveals a recalibration in response to global instability in the sector. Market Signals Undercut Hydrogen Optimism Once billed as a cornerstone of decarbonisation strategies, green hydrogen is encountering…

The European Union’s ambition to install 40 GW of green hydrogen electrolyser capacity and produce 10 million tonnes of hydrogen domestically by 2030 now stands on increasingly shaky ground. As detailed in a joint study by CASSIS and EWI, the optimism underpinning these targets no longer reflects current market dynamics, cost developments, and global political shifts. Cost Curve Reversal Undermines Market Assumptions Contrary to earlier projections that envisioned a downward cost trend, the production cost of green hydrogen has risen over recent years. European green hydrogen currently costs about twice as much as blue hydrogen produced from fossil fuels. This…

China’s green hydrogen ambitions are gaining momentum, with projections pointing to a potential 12 trillion yuan ($1.64 trillion) industry. Underpinned by state-led planning and bolstered by a surge in renewable capacity, the country is pursuing hydrogen not just as a clean energy alternative but as a structural pillar in its national energy transformation. Yet despite aggressive infrastructure buildouts and industrial enthusiasm, analysts warn that gaps in economic feasibility, market design, and system integration could derail expected returns. Hydrogen’s Role in a Reshaped Energy Mix The long-term vision is clear: hydrogen is expected to supply 10% of China’s terminal energy by…

With hydrogen volumes projected to fall as low as 1 GW by 2030—down from earlier estimates of 4 GW—the Netherlands’ hydrogen transport network risks becoming economically unviable without substantial policy correction. This stark reassessment, published in a recent market report by the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM), signals rising cost pressures on network users unless immediate measures are enacted. Gasunie’s updated cost projections reveal a more than twofold increase in anticipated investment for the national hydrogen backbone compared to previous forecasts. While the exact revised figures remain undisclosed, the gap between upfront infrastructure spending and expected hydrogen throughput…

As Europe’s energy capital seeks to pivot from oil to renewables, Aberdeen City Council has launched an ambitious proposal to develop a fully integrated hydrogen valley in Scotland’s northeast. The TH2ISTLE project, involving 30 partners and potentially backed by £7.7 million in EU funding, aims to tie together green hydrogen production, storage, and utilization across the region. If realized, it could serve as a test case for industrial-scale hydrogen integration and a model for just transition, but key hurdles remain. Targeting a Net-Zero Backbone with Integrated Hydrogen At the center of Aberdeen’s proposal is a vision of regional decarbonisation, aligned…

Saudi Arabia’s multi-billion-dollar pivot toward hydrogen is as much a geopolitical maneuver as an energy transition strategy. As global demand for green hydrogen is projected to grow annually, exceeding 40 percent, reaching a market value of $72 billion by 2030, the Kingdom is moving aggressively to secure a dominant position, not by following the trend, but by reshaping it. Central to this effort is the dual-track approach of scaling both green and blue hydrogen, with ambitions tethered to the broader objectives of Vision 2030. While much attention has focused on the high-profile NEOM Helios project and its planned daily output…

When Statkraft announced the abrupt termination of its 40 MW Mo i Rana electrolyser order with Nel ASA, it underscored a stark truth: even within a hydropower-rich nation, green hydrogen projects are buckling under today’s economic headwinds. Once billed as a poster child for decarbonising heavy industry, the €35 million‐plus Mo i Rana facility was designed to leverage Norway’s abundant renewable electricity to produce clean hydrogen for nearby steel and chemical plants. Yet Statkraft’s leadership concluded that no commercially viable model could be built in the current landscape of high capital costs, volatile power prices, and rising interest rates. From…

South Australia’s decision to defer its €593 million Hydrogen Jobs Plan underscores the tension between long-term decarbonisation goals and immediate industrial imperatives. Originally slated to deliver a 200 MW green hydrogen power plant and large-scale electrolyser at Whyalla by early 2026, the flagship project would have supported both the transition to “green steel” at Whyalla Steelworks and provided dispatchable power as the state moves toward 100 per cent net renewables by 2027. Yet, following the financial collapse and government takeover of the Whyalla Steelworks, nearly A$600 million was reallocated to a A$2.4 billion steelworks rescue package. This pivot reflects a…

With €78 million in direct aid approved by the Andalusian government and a total investment of over €169 million, the Green H2 Los Barrios project in Cádiz positions itself not just as a regional infrastructure play but as a test case for Europe’s hydrogen industrialisation strategy under the IPCEI Hy2Use framework. Behind the headline figures lies a critical question for policymakers and investors alike: can hydrogen projects like Los Barrios catalyse long-term industrial transformation, or will they remain isolated flagships without systemic traction? At the core of EDP’s project is a 100 MW electrolyser to be powered by locally sourced…

With North American hydrogen project development facing rising capital intensity and inconsistent policy clarity, Charbone Hydrogen Corporation’s announcement of a US$50 million non-binding construction capital facility appears, at first glance, to be a strategic step toward advancing its infrastructure pipeline. But as investor optimism briefly lifted Charbone’s stock by 18.2%, questions remain over whether this term sheet will translate into scalable deployment or stall amid execution and financing constraints. The six-month term sheet, signed with an unnamed international renewable energy infrastructure fund manager, is intended to bolster Charbone’s deployment strategy across its green hydrogen production and distribution footprint in North…