The Hydrogen Stream: AfDB backs projects, Europe logs 265 offers
AI Analysis
Summary
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has launched a hydrogen funding call for African projects, while the European Commission has registered 265 supply opportunities under its Hydrogen Mechanism.
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The African Development Bank (AfDB) has launched a hydrogen funding call for African projects, while the European Commission has registered 265 supply opportunities under its Hydrogen Mechanism.</span></p><p><strong>The African Development Bank</strong>’s Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa has launched a call for proposals under its Green Hydrogen Programme, targeting private sector developers of green hydrogen and derivative projects across Africa. The program, backed by initial funding from the German government, will provide pre-investment financing of up to $20 million for three to five selected projects. Support will take the form of reimbursable grants for advisory services to help projects reach final investment decision or financial close, <a href="https://www.afdb.org/en/news-and-events/press-releases/african-development-banks-sustainable-energy-fund-africa-launches-call-proposals-new-green-hydrogen-programme-92126" rel="noopener" target="_blank">said</a> the AfDB.</p>
<p><strong>The European Commission</strong> has completed the first round of its Hydrogen Mechanism, <a href="https://energy.ec.europa.eu/news/successful-first-round-eu-hydrogen-mechanism-support-market-development-providing-value-added-2026-04-29_en" rel="noopener" target="_blank">registering</a> supply opportunities from 265 projects across renewable and low-carbon hydrogen and derivatives, alongside 45 offtake projects, with expressions of interest covering 87% of the listed supply side. Separately, it <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_26_839" rel="noopener" target="_blank">said</a> it has referred Greece, Malta, and Portugal to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to transpose updated EU renewable energy rules, including provisions linked to renewable hydrogen, guarantees of origin, and electrification-driven system integration.</p>
<p><strong>RCT Hydrogen</strong> has begun manufacturing pressurized alkaline electrolyzers in Germany through a partnership with Brück GmbH. The German company <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rct-hydrogen-gmbh_rcthydrogen-bruckforgings-greenhydrogen-activity-7455624390194491392-CABa?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAA14keUBor81wu7jbOOswzO8t7M5iPb7-VM"><span class="s1">said</span></a> the collaboration establishes an initial production capacity of 250 MW per year, with its first domestically manufactured 5 MW stack expected to be completed in summer 2026.</p>
<p><strong>Lhyfe</strong> has agreed to supply green hydrogen to the BMW Group’s site in Steyr, Austria, where fuel cell systems for a new BMW X5 model are scheduled for mass production from 2028. The French company said it completed more than 850 deliveries across Europe in 2025 and currently operates four production sites in France and Germany with combined capacity of up to 8.5 metric tons per day, with additional facilities planned in France.</p>