Hydrogen will play a pivotal role in achieving an affordable, clean and prosperous economy. Hydrogen allows for cost- efficient bulk transport and storage of renewable energy and can decarbonise energy use in all sectors.

The European Union together with North Af- rica, Ukraine and other neighbouring countries have a unique opportunity to realise a green hydrogen system. Europe including Ukraine has good renewable energy resources, while North Africa has outstanding and abundant resources. Europe can re-use its gas infrastruc- ture with interconnections to North-Africa and other countries to transport and store hydro- gen. And Europe has a globally leading indus- try for clean hydrogen production, especially in electrolyser manufacturing.

If the European Union, in close cooperation with its neighbouring countries, wants to build on these unique assets and create a world lead- ing industry for renewable hydrogen produc- tion, the time to act is now. Dedicated and in- tegrated multi GW green hydrogen production plants, will thereby unlock the vast renewable energy potential.

We, the European hydrogen industry, are com- mitted to maintaining a strong and world-lead- ing electrolyser industry and market and to producing renewable hydrogen at equal and eventually lower cost than low-carbon (blue) hydrogen. A prerequisite is that a 2x40 GW electrolyser market in the European Union and its neighbouring countries (e.g. North Africa and Ukraine) will develop as soon as possible.

A roadmap for 40 GW electrolyser capacity in the EU by 2030 shows a 6 GW captive market (hydrogen production at the demand location) and 34 GW hydrogen market (hydrogen pro- duction near the resource). A roadmap for 40 GW electrolyser capacity in North Africa and Ukraine by 2030 includes 7.5 GW hydrogen pro- duction for the domestic market and a 32.5 GW hydrogen production capacity for export...