Editorial Updates

Curated PULSE notes on policy changes, market movements, technology, and project developments in the green hydrogen ecosystem.

Uniper Signs Binding Long-Term eSAF Offtake with Arcadia

Uniper agreed to buy 40,000 tonnes of eSAF a year from Arcadia eFuels for more than ten years. Deliveries remain subject to project conditions and commercial operation.

23 Sept 2026European Union

Coega Green Ammonia Project Awards Plant Design Contract

Hive Hydrogen awarded the Coega ammonia plant's front-end design to Técnicas Reunidas. The work covers production and export systems, but financing and final investment decision remain open.

16 Sept 2026South Africa

Phelan Saldanha eSAF Project Reaches FID with Offtake Secured

South Africa said Phelan Green's Saldanha eSAF project reached final investment decision, secured an offtake, and committed $100 million in equity. Key contract and certification details remain undisclosed.

15 Sept 2026South Africa

Green Ammonia Buyers Alliance Plans Book-and-Claim Procurement

GMA, RMI, and 3Degrees launched a buyers alliance that will aggregate food-sector demand for green ammonia certificates. Its first pilot procurement is planned for the fourth quarter of 2026.

14 Sept 2026Global

TÜV SÜD Launches Singapore Centre for Digital MRV and Carbon Assurance

On 9 September 2026, TÜV SÜD launched a Singapore centre for digital MRV, validation, verification, and assurance. The move strengthens an adjacent competitor in regional climate-data and certification infrastructure.

9 Sept 2026Singapore / Southeast Asia

Asyad and OQAE Sign Hydrogen Offtake Term Sheet for Oman Mobility

On 6 September 2026, Asyad and OQ Alternative Energy signed a term sheet for hydrogen supply in Duqm. The proposed demand is tied to a vehicle fleet and a refuelling station, but the parties have not disclosed a final offtake contract.

6 Sept 2026Oman

CertifHy Lists Hy2B RFNBO Certificate for Production and Trading

CertifHy's live register lists Hy2B Wasserstoff's RFNBO hydrogen certificate as valid from 1 September 2026 through 31 August 2027. The scope covers an electrolyzer processing unit and trading.

1 Sept 2026Germany / European Union

Air Products and Nobian Sign Long-Term RFNBO Hydrogen Offtake in Rotterdam

On 26 August 2026, Air Products and Nobian announced a long-term RFNBO hydrogen offtake agreement in Rotterdam. The deal connects an existing production site with a distribution network for buyers with RED III obligations.

27 Aug 2026European Union

EU CBAM Guidance Sets Verifier and Registry Steps for Hydrogen Imports

On 24 August 2026, the European Commission published CBAM verification guidance and a registry access process. Hydrogen exporters now need records that support CBAM emissions review as well as separate RFNBO or GHCI claims where relevant.

24 Aug 2026European Union

EY ShinNihon Starts GX-ETS Verification Services

EY ShinNihon began third-party confirmation work for the mandatory GX-ETS on 19 August 2026. The move adds assurance capacity for emissions data and raises the need for verifier-ready records.

19 Aug 2026East Asia

CertifHy Lists Yara RFNBO Ammonia Certificate

The CertifHy register lists Yara Clean Ammonia Holding SA for RFNBO ammonia processing. TÜV Rheinland Energy & Environment GmbH issued the certificate, valid from 10 August 2026 to 9 August 2027.

10 Aug 2026European Union / Norway

SECI Opens a CO₂ Source EOI for RFNBO Methanol and Green Urea

SECI's EOI asks Indian CO₂ source owners to support future green urea and RFNBO-compliant green methanol schemes, putting carbon-source eligibility, location and traceability into early project screening.

7 Aug 2026India / European Union

EU Hydrogen Market Rules Reach the 5 August Transposition Deadline

The EU deadline for Member States to transpose the hydrogen and decarbonised gas market directive passed on 5 August 2026. National implementation now matters for network access, operator certification and low-carbon hydrogen evidence.

5 Aug 2026European Union

China Adds Renewable Hydrogen and Ammonia to Non-Power Energy Accounting

China's new renewable-energy rules now cover non-power use of renewable hydrogen, ammonia and alcohol-based products. Sector targets and transition periods are still to be set.

1 Aug 2026China

TÜV SÜD Acquires SustainCERT to Add Digital MRV to Its Assurance Platform

TÜV SÜD's acquisition of SustainCERT combines a global assurance group with a digital MRV platform. The deal is not hydrogen-specific, but it sets a higher expectation for audit-ready data workflows.

27 Jul 2026Global

Vizag Transmission Award Advances India's Green Hydrogen Hub Infrastructure

A Government of India transmission award for proposed Vizag green hydrogen and green ammonia projects makes power-network readiness a visible project gate, but does not yet prove FID or certification readiness.

24 Jul 2026India

EU Hydrogen Mechanism Opens Infrastructure Market-Test Round

The European Commission is inviting infrastructure developers to help shape a later-2026 Hydrogen Mechanism round for testing market interest in hydrogen pipelines and storage.

22 Jul 2026European Union

EU Opens Draft Terms for Fourth Hydrogen Auction

The European Commission opened consultation on draft terms for its fourth Innovation Fund Hydrogen Auction, planned for December 2026 with up to €500 million in support.

9 Jul 2026European Union

H2 Hollandia Reaches ISCC EU RFNBO Certification Before Full Commissioning

H2 Hollandia received an ISCC EU certificate aligned with RED III while still in testing, showing how certification readiness is becoming a commissioning gate for European hydrogen projects.

9 Jul 2026Netherlands

ACME's Japan Offtake Package Turns Indian Green Fuels into Bankable Export Supply

ACME-linked agreements with IHI and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical signal that Indian green ammonia and green methanol are moving from project pipeline to long-term Japan-facing export offtake.

3 Jul 2026India / Japan

India's Green Urea Roadmap Links Green Ammonia Procurement to Fertiliser Decarbonisation

India has reportedly proposed annual procurement of 7.24 lakh MT of green ammonia for green urea production, with SECI e-reverse auctions and 10-year supply support under NGHM Mode 2A.

26 Jun 2026India

India Targets Hydrogen Components for Local Manufacturing: Supply Chain Policy Moves Upstream

India's renewable energy ministry has identified hydrogen electrodes, catalysts, bipolar plates, and membranes among priority clean-energy components for local manufacturing.

26 Jun 2026India

IGCAR Nuclear-Heat Hydrogen Demo Tests India's Clean-vs-Green Certification Boundary

India's IGCAR has inaugurated a pilot hydrogen facility using nuclear process heat and a Copper-Chlorine thermochemical cycle, creating a useful certification-readiness distinction between clean hydrogen technology and export-ready green hydrogen claims.

26 Jun 2026India

Castellon Green Hydrogen Gets EUR 211M IPCEI Boost as 25 MW Plant Enters Testing

BP and Iberdrola's Castellon Green Hydrogen project received up to EUR 211 million in IPCEI Hy2USE-backed funding while its 25 MW plant moved into testing.

25 Jun 2026Spain

India Launches Green Hydrogen Certification Portal: GHCI Moves from Scheme to Compliance Infrastructure

India launched a Green Hydrogen Certification Portal and disclosed fresh execution signals across state policies, electrolysers, refinery offtake, mobility pilots, testing facilities, and green ammonia.

18 Jun 2026India

WHS 2026 Post-Summit Signal: Hydrogen Market Narrative Moves from Announcements to Bankability

World Hydrogen Summit's 2026 programme centred FID, offtake, capital, and regulatory execution. Compliance proof is becoming part of project finance, not an afterthought.

22 May 2026Global

WHS 2026 Rotterdam Preview: India's 90-Member Delegation and the Five Sessions That Matter

India brings 90+ stakeholders to WHS Rotterdam from May 18-22. Five sessions stand out for hydrogen trade, certification, and policy alignment.

14 May 2026Global

SECI Opens 500,000-Tonne Green Methanol Tender Under SIGHT: First Tranche Targets Shipping Decarbonisation

SECI launched a 500,000-tonne per annum green methanol tender under SIGHT on May 6, with bids opening June 8 and 10-year purchase agreements on offer.

8 May 2026India

EU RFNBO Certification Automation Reaches Industrial Scale: Lessons from 22 Completed Audits

Atmen's published audit report shows 70,000 data points per 10 MW site, 200+ requirements per audit, and a 94 percent workload reduction claim.

6 May 2026EU

H2Global Tender 2 Closed: What the Screening Window Showed About Bid Readiness

H2Global Tender 2 closed April 7. Screening data from the bidding window shows three patterns that did not match the assumptions going in.

10 Apr 2026Global

India's Single-Grid Advantage Is Also Its RFNBO Geographic Correlation Problem

India operates as one national grid. RFNBO defines correlation by bidding zone. The mismatch is structural and DA revisions do not fix it.

25 Mar 2026India

India's GHCI Certification Scheme: A Complete Landscape for the 158-Project, 11.9 MMTPA Pipeline

Inside India's GHCI scheme: 158 projects, ~11.9 MMTPA pipeline, four certificate stages, and the verification bottleneck holding back first issuance.

23 Mar 2026India

RFNBO Revision Eases EU Bankability but Imports Side of REPowerEU Remains Unresolved

The proposed RFNBO relaxation eases bankability for European producers but leaves the 10 MMTPA import target without compatible rules.

21 Mar 2026EU

Japan GX-ETS Launches April 1 - But Rules Still Unclear

Japan's GX-ETS launches as mandatory April 1, but implementation rules remain unclear. A proposed 10% offset cap could limit the hydrogen market.

20 Mar 2026Japan

Eight EU Member States Submit Formal Non-Paper to Revise RFNBO Delegated Acts

At the first Hydrogen Regulatory Forum in Rotterdam, eight EU member states tabled a non-paper demanding RFNBO Delegated Act revisions.

19 Mar 2026EU

Eastern European MEPs Push to Reopen EU RFNBO Rulebook

Eastern European MEPs are demanding early revision of EU RFNBO rules they say make green hydrogen investment uneconomic. Green groups are pushing back hard.

19 Mar 2026EU

MNRE Draft Guidelines Extend GHCI to Include Water-Use Emissions

MNRE's draft guidelines extend GHCI system boundaries to include GHG emissions from water use, adding a new compliance layer for producers.

18 Mar 2026India

Moeve Takes FID on Andalusian Green Hydrogen Valley - >€1B, 300 MW Phase 1

Moeve approves >€1B FID for Andalusian Green Hydrogen Valley Phase 1 - 300 MW electrolyser, signalling EU-scale hydrogen execution is real and bankable.

7 Mar 2026Spain

JCM Certification Readiness: Three Weeks to Japan's April 2026 Compliance Deadline

Japan's GX-ETS mandatory compliance launches in April 2026. JCM certification for internationally-sourced hydrogen is the bottleneck no one has solved yet.

5 Mar 2026Japan

India Confirms Green Ammonia Price Discovery at Scale - 724,000 TPA via SECI

MNRE has confirmed key NGHM milestones: 3,000 MW electrolyser manufacturing incentives awarded and 724,000 TPA green ammonia price-discovered via SECI.

4 Mar 2026India

RFNBO or Low-Carbon? The Producer Decision Framework for EU Hydrogen Export

EU Regulation 2025/2359 adds a low-carbon path alongside RFNBO. CertifHy launched dual certification on day one. Same plant, two market options - which is right for your project?

26 Feb 2026EU

India Records ₹279/kg Green Hydrogen Bid - Thin Margins Make Certification Speed Essential

India bids ₹279/kg green hydrogen at Numaligarh - a record low, 15–25% below EU benchmarks. At these margins, GHCI certification speed is a competitive necessity.

23 Feb 2026India

EU Low-Carbon Hydrogen Regulation 2025/2359 Now in Force

EU Delegated Regulation 2025/2359 creates a parallel low-carbon hydrogen pathway alongside RFNBO. CertifHy has already launched dual certification.

22 Feb 2026EU

Hydrogen Certification in 2026: Which Pathway Is Right for Your Project?

From a single RFNBO track to three certification lanes in 2026: renewable, low-carbon, and emerging nuclear. A strategic map for hydrogen producers at FID.

21 Feb 2026

NTPC Green and GAIL Form Renewable Energy JV - Green Hydrogen Pipeline Signal

NTPC Green and GAIL India's new JV combines 4,750 MW renewable capacity with hydrogen pipeline expertise - electrolyser tenders likely within 6–12 months.

21 Feb 2026India

SECI Cancels Two Hydrogen Hub Tenders - India's Market Structure Is Shifting

SECI cancelled two 100,000 TPA hydrogen hub tenders in mid-2025. India's hydrogen market is shifting to distributed, end-use aligned projects - GHCI certification demand moves with it.

20 Feb 2026India

Three Frameworks, One Project: The Multi-Certification Reality for India's SIGHT Producers

India's 18 SIGHT-awarded producers face a problem most haven't modelled: complying with GHCI, RFNBO, and JCM simultaneously from a single production facility.

19 Feb 2026India

Global Hydrogen Certification: Three New Signals From the US and EU

ANSI launches US standards coordination, EAC frameworks emerge for low-carbon products, and certification convergence accelerates across four major markets.

18 Feb 2026

Japan's GX-ETS Phase 2 Makes Hydrogen Certification Non-Negotiable

Japan's mandatory carbon market launches April 2026. Major industrial emitters can offset up to 10% of regulated emissions with certified low-carbon hydrogen, making JCM certification infrastructure business-critical.

12 Feb 2026Japan

EU Allocates €650M to Hydrogen Projects - RFNBO Auction Launched for Maritime and Aviation

EU allocates €650M to 14 cross-border hydrogen projects, and launches an RFNBO fixed-premium auction for the maritime and aviation sectors.

12 Feb 2026EU

ISCC Pre-Certification Unlocks the EU Hydrogen Export Gateway

ISCC launches RFNBO pre-certification on March 27, 2026. For Indian green hydrogen exporters, it bridges the gap between project concept and bankability -- solving for both EU market access and IREDA financing.

10 Feb 2026EU

India's Hydrogen Reality Check: 158 Announcements, 2 Operating Projects

India has announced 158 green hydrogen projects. Only 2-3 are operational. The real bottleneck is not policy or funding -- it is certification infrastructure.

7 Feb 2026India

India-Netherlands Hydrogen Fellowship Launches with 19 IIT Partnership

India's DST launched a hydrogen research fellowship with 19 IITs and the University of Groningen. The programme targets deployment-ready skills: system integration, safety, techno-economic analysis, and LCA.

6 Feb 2026India

Italy Transposes RED III with Green Hydrogen Mandates for Transport and Industry

Italy became one of the first major EU economies to fully transpose RED III, with binding green hydrogen mandates for transport and industry effective February 4, 2026. ETS revenue will fund RFNBO incentives.

5 Feb 2026EU

The GHCI-RFNBO Export Gap: Why Indian Producers Are Building to the Wrong Standard

Plug Power's 32-tonne RFNBO delivery to Rotterdam exposed a critical gap: GHCI certification alone will not unlock EU export markets. The compliance mismatch is wider and costlier than most Indian producers realize.

4 Feb 2026India

India's 25-Year ISTS Waiver Opens Interstate Hydrogen Hub Model

MNRE granted 25-year ISTS transmission exemptions for green hydrogen projects commissioned by 2030. The waiver changes interstate hydrogen economics and creates demand for sophisticated additionality tracking.

4 Feb 2026India

India Awards 3,000 MW Electrolyser Capacity and 862K TPA Production Under SIGHT

MNRE finalized SIGHT contracts: 15 companies for 3,000 MW/year electrolyser manufacturing, 18 companies for 862,000 tonnes/year production. Three ports designated as green hydrogen hubs.

4 Feb 2026India

India's Budget 2026: Rs 17,490 Crore Signals the NGHM Execution Phase

India commits Rs 17,490 crore in electrolyser and production incentives with 25-year ISTS waivers. The National Green Hydrogen Mission shifts from policy to funded deployment.

1 Feb 2026India

Three Markets, One Signal: Hydrogen Moves from Policy to Execution

India, EU, and Japan are simultaneously shifting from policy design to enforcement. The convergence marks a shift in how hydrogen markets work.

30 Jan 2026Global

GIZ and ThyssenKrupp Nucera Launch H2Uppp in India

Germany's development agency GIZ and electrolyser manufacturer ThyssenKrupp Nucera launched the H2Uppp program at India Energy Week -- a preview of how major OEMs plan to enter India's hydrogen market.

29 Jan 2026India

Bulgaria Secures EU Funding for First Southeast European Hydrogen Pipeline

Bulgartransgaz secured EUR 4.56M in EU funding for a 250km hydrogen pipeline to Greece -- the first dedicated hydrogen infrastructure in Southeast Europe and a template for regional cross-border certification.

28 Jan 2026EU

Clean Hydrogen Partnership Opens EUR 105M 2026 Call for Proposals

The EU's Clean Hydrogen Partnership launched its 2026 call with EUR 105 million across 21 topics, from renewable production to Hydrogen Valleys. Deadline: April 15, 2026.

20 Jan 2026EU

UK Releases Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard Version 4

The UK published Version 4 of its Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard with updated emissions calculators. Post-Brexit framework divergence from the EU continues, adding complexity to multi-market compliance.

19 Jan 2026UK

RFNBO Pragmatism Debate: Compliance vs. Viability

Wood Mackenzie calls Europe's RFNBO rules incompatible with timely hydrogen supply ramp-up. As the 2030 hourly matching mandate approaches, the tension between compliance and viability intensifies.

15 Sept 2025Global

Atmen-Schneider Partnership Signals Upstream Shift in Hydrogen Certification

Atmen's partnership with Schneider Electric, following its Siemens and CertifHy deals, marks a shift: hydrogen certification is moving from post-build auditing to pre-FID design.

29 Jan 2025Global