On 15 July 2022, the European Commission (the Commission) approved under state aid rules the Hy2Tech “Hydrogen” project as an Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) to support research, innovation and the first industrial deployment in the field of hydrogen. technology value chain. The project is an initiative set up and notified by 15 EU Member States: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia and Spain.
This approval is part of efforts to support the development of an innovative and sustainable European hydrogen sector. In this context, the Commission has authorized Member States to provide up to €5.4 billion in public funding, with the aim of unlocking an additional €8.8 billion in private investment.
The IPCEI is a key strategic instrument with regard to the implementation of the EU industrial strategy which aims to connect knowledge, expertise, financial resources and market players to overcome market failures or systemic. These are large-scale European consortia in key strategic value chains with closely linked business projects.
This decision is the first IPCEI project approved on the basis of the 2021 IPCEI State Aid Communication, establishing the criteria under which Member States can support transnational projects of strategic importance, under Article 107, paragraph 3(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. European Union.
The IPCEI Hy2Tech comprises 41 projects and 35 companies, as shown in the graph below, covering different stages of the hydrogen value chain such as: (a) hydrogen generation; (b) fuel cells; (c) storage, transport and distribution of hydrogen; and (d) end-user applications, particularly in the mobility sector.
In addition, the Hy2Tech project is expected to create 20,000 direct jobs and contribute to the development of technological breakthroughs, such as new highly efficient electrode materials, more efficient fuel cells and innovative transport technologies.
The amount of aid to be granted to individual participants will be available in the public version of the Commission decision.
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1 Source: European Commission (State aid (europa.eu)).
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