Hydrogen produced by nuclear power: the EU is taking its time

Waiting until 2028 to decide whether nuclear-produced hydrogen can be considered “low-carbon” could kill an entire market before it even gets off the ground, according to the European nuclear industry , which accuses Brussels of penalizing a key technological option in the race to decarbonization .

The European Commission is preparing standards that will certify which forms of hydrogen can be considered “low carbon,” according to a draft seen by Reuters. But for nuclear hydrogen , that is, produced with electricity generated by reactors, the verdict will be postponed: consultations in 2026, decision in 2028 .

“This is an unjustified delay that risks holding back the development of a strategic sector,” Emmanuel Brutin, director general of Nuclear Europe , told Reuters, stressing that “the three-year advantage granted to renewable hydrogen – already recognised as green since 2023 – creates a competitive distortion that could compromise investments, projects and supply chains”.

The stakes are high. Hydrogen is seen as a crucial energy vector for decarbonising hard-to-electrify industrial sectors – such as steel, chemicals and heavy transport – but today 95% of hydrogen produced in Europe still comes from fossil fuels . The EU aims to change this by incentivising the production of hydrogen from zero-emission sources. However, the issue of how to treat nuclear remains: is it “clean” energy or not? There is a heated debate on the issue. France, Poland and Sweden are pushing for nuclear to be fully included in European green policies. Germany, Denmark and other countries oppose it, fearing that it will take resources and attention away from wind and solar, considered the true pillars of the ecological transition.

The issue has divided member states for years, and has slowed down several negotiations on energy packages. The most recent compromise was the temporary inclusion of nuclear in the EU taxonomy of sustainable investments , but without a clear consensus on the long term.

The technical point, however, is clear: nuclear does not emit C02. It is not a renewable source, but it can produce stable and continuous electricity, useful precisely to power the electrolysers needed to generate clean hydrogen . Its supporters insist on this advantage, while opponents continue to raise doubts about safety and management of radioactive waste.

In the meantime, the industry is waiting for signals. Without a clear regulatory framework, nuclear hydrogen projects risk remaining on paper . And at a time when Europe wants to reduce its energy dependence and relaunch the low-emission industry, postponing strategic choices risks being highly counterproductive.

On Thursday, May 15 , experts from national governments will begin discussing the Commission’s proposal. Brussels is taking its time. “We want a balanced solution that works for all member states,” a spokesperson said.