HYDROGEN CERTIFICATION: CertifHy submits renewable hydrogen voluntary scheme for approval

LONDON (ICIS)–CertifHy confirmed 22 March that it has submitted its renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBO) European Union Voluntary Scheme documents for approval by the European Commission, paving the way for wider hydrogen market trade.

CertifHy is a hydrogen certification scheme created at the request of the European Commission and is led by energy transition specialists HINICIO, while Roundtable on Sustainable Materials (RSB) is a global certification company for alternative fuels and materials.

The submission of voluntary-scheme documents further progresses the development of a hydrogen market with certification of hydrogen seen as a key enabler of a global and a European hydrogen market.

The move by CertifHy is “to enable the uptake of hydrogen and synthetic fuels in the transport sector” and that certification would be an “essential tool for economic operators willing to prove that hydrogen and hydrogen derivatives have been produced in compliance with EU RED II [Renewable Energy Directive recast] and RED II Delegated Acts’ criteria,” CertifHy said in a press release.

RED II targets 14% of the energy consumed in the transport sector by 2030 will need be renewable. A key enabler of this target is the use of RFNBO.

INDUSTRY INTEREST KEY

CertifHy project coordinator Matthieu Boisson told ICIS that “interest from the industry is very important, as the RFNBO market in Europe is going to be one of the key drivers for the development of renewable hydrogen projects in Europe.”

“It is a mandated market which will create an intrinsic value for renewable hydrogen,” Boisson said, adding that “when other mandated markets arise for low carbon, we will make sure to setup a system to address those news needs.”

In late 2022, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between CertifHy and RSB surrounding progressing the development of a global and European hydrogen market.