(Brussels / Belgium) – The European Commission has selected nine hydrogen production projects in the third auction of the European Hydrogen Bank (EHB). The tender closed on February 19, 2026, with 58 bids from eleven countries, resulting in an oversubscription of more than six times the budget of €1,3 billion. The auction also included the sub-aspect for hydrogen producers supplying customers in the maritime and aviation sectors.
The selected projects under the Renewable Hydrogen Fuels of Non-Biological Origin (RFNBO) program. © European Commission
A total of approximately €1,09 billion from the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) Innovation Fund is available for all projects. The funds will be used to build almost 1,1 gigawatts of electrolyzer capacity in seven countries of the European Economic Area, producing over 1,3 million tons of hydrogen in the first ten years of operation, according to the institution. This would avoid nine million tons of CO2 equivalent.
List of selected projects under the RFNBO theme “Low Carbon”. © European Commission
At the auction, successful projects will be awarded a grant to cover the price difference between their production costs and the market price. The aim is to create incentives for the production and use of clean hydrogen. After the signing of the funding agreements, the nine selected projects will receive a fixed premium of between €0,44 and €3,49 per kilogram of produced, certified, and verified hydrogen for a maximum period of ten years.
List of selected projects on maritime shipping. © European Commission
The projects were ranked according to their bid price, reflecting the level of support required per kilogram of clean hydrogen produced. After an assessment of their eligibility and quality, the projects were selected in ascending order of bid price until all available funds from the innovation fund were allocated.
1,3 billion euros for Auction-as-a-Service
Furthermore, Spain is contributing an additional €440 million and Germany €1,3 billion through the Auctions-as-a-Service mechanism. This additional cumulative €1,7 billion allows Member States to use national resources to support projects within their own territory that have applied for the auction. This reduces administrative burdens and ensures a coordinated and cost-effective allocation of public funding.
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The European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) will begin formally drafting grant agreements with the selected projects. This will confirm the final terms of financial support, including the fixed premium per kilogram of hydrogen and the implementation timeline. The agreements are expected to be signed in the last quarter of 2026. The projects must achieve financial completion within two and a half years of the grant agreement being signed and be operational within five years.
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The EU is awarding over one billion euros to European hydrogen projects. © European Commission
