Germany adopts Hydrogen Acceleration Act

On October 1, 2025, the Federal Cabinet adopted the draft Hydrogen Acceleration Act to speed up the development of hydrogen infrastructure and reduce bureaucratic hurdles.

The law addresses the ENTIRE HYDROGEN SUPPLY CHAIN: from production to import, storage, and transport. The law covers, among other things, onshore and offshore electrolyzers, import facilities for hydrogen (and its derivatives), hydrogen storage facilities, and hydrogen pipelines. To decarbonize shipping and aviation in particular, facilities for the production of synthetic fuels are included.

SPECIFIC INSTRUMENTS are intended to accelerate the processes. These include, among other things, clear deadlines, comprehensive requirements for digitalization, and accelerated procurement procedures. Furthermore, the extraction of natural hydrogen is being simplified through legislative relaxations in the Federal Mining Act.

This is intended to facilitate the promotion of natural hydrogen and related projects in order to further improve the national hydrogen supply.

The law stipulates that facilities and pipelines within the scope of the law are in the OVERRIDING PUBLIC INTEREST. This gives hydrogen projects particular weight in approval decisions.

Concerns regarding public water supplies (especially drinking water protection) and water resources are safeguarded.

What’s next:

The Bundesrat and Bundestag will deal with the draft law.

Full draft law available here

Source: Luis Ignacio PARADA