UK hydrogen strategy needs a demand-first reset, not more supply
January 19, 2026
The European Commission has launched the next phase of its Hydrogen Market Mechanism, allowing European buyers to consult available supply offers for renewable and low-carbon hydrogen and hydrogen derivatives.
The mechanism, hosted under the EU Energy and Raw Materials Platform, aims to improve market transparency and help match industrial off-takers with potential suppliers across Europe and beyond.
More than 260 hydrogen and derivative supply projects have already submitted offers in earlier phases, covering products such as hydrogen, ammonia, methanol and sustainable aviation fuels. The buyer consultation phase runs until March 2026 and is intended to support early market formation rather than mandate purchases.
While non-binding, the initiative reflects growing EU efforts to address one of the sector’s key bottlenecks: the lack of structured demand signals for hydrogen projects.
Source: European Commission – EU Energy and Raw Materials Platform, “Hydrogen Mechanism phase launched: EU buyers consult supply offers”, 20 January 2026.
