- Industrial scale green hydrogen projects in Paraguay, India and Spain are advancing towards final investment decisions.
- China and India emerged as dominant players at the World Hydrogen Summit 2026 with multi-billion dollar investment commitments.
- Green fertilisers are becoming one of the first commercially viable large scale demand drivers for green hydrogen.
The global green hydrogen sector left the World Hydrogen Summit 2026 in Rotterdam with renewed confidence as several large industrial projects moved closer to commercial deployment despite ongoing market and regulatory challenges.
Developers, policymakers and financiers attending the summit pointed to a clear shift in the sector from early stage pilot projects towards bankable industrial scale developments supported by long term offtake agreements, stronger business models and improving technology costs.
Among the most significant announcements was Atome’s 145 MW Villeta green fertiliser project in Paraguay reaching final investment decision. Repsol’s 150 MW Tarragona green hydrogen project in Spain and ACME’s project in India are also nearing financial close, with ACME expecting to reach FID within months.
Industry leaders at the summit agreed that green hydrogen is increasingly viewed not only as a climate solution but also as a strategic industrial and energy security priority.
Asia emerged as the dominant force at the event, with China, Japan and India sending large delegations reflecting the rapid pace of project deployment across the region. Europe meanwhile continued to position itself as the leading demand market, driven largely by the European Union Emissions Trading System and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.
Oman also attracted strong attention during the summit as Gulf nations accelerated efforts to diversify beyond oil and gas. Oman’s Minister of Energy and Minerals said renewable hydrogen would become critical for sustaining future industrial growth and improving long term energy security.
Technology suppliers across the exhibition floor showcased rapidly maturing hydrogen equipment including electrolysers, compressors, storage systems, valves, pipelines and leak detection technologies. Industry participants noted that standardisation and manufacturing scale, particularly in China and India, are driving significant cost reductions across the supply chain.
One of the clearest themes emerging from the summit was the importance of regulatory certainty. European Union RED III renewable fuel targets are now being implemented at national level across member states, helping unlock project development, infrastructure investment and long term offtake agreements.
In contrast, uncertainty in the maritime sector continues to slow investment in green fuel production and bunkering infrastructure. While FuelEU Maritime regulations are now in force, developers warned that the absence of a fully adopted International Maritime Organization Net Zero Framework remains a major barrier to scaling investment globally.
Indian hydrogen developers targeting exports to Europe also highlighted ongoing challenges linked to European Union rules governing electricity bidding zones. Industry leaders warned that years of regulatory ambiguity have delayed projects and increased investment risk for exporters seeking access to European markets.
Green ammonia and green fertilisers emerged as one of the strongest commercial opportunities discussed during the summit. Industry conversations shifted away from speculative future demand towards existing fertiliser markets, industrial integration, logistics and long term bankable offtake agreements.
Atome’s Villeta project was widely referenced as an example of this new commercial approach, supported by baseload renewable electricity, established fertiliser demand and long term offtake structures.
AM Green also attracted attention after acquiring an existing fertiliser plant for conversion to green ammonia production, reducing project risk by leveraging existing infrastructure, land access and port connectivity.
China dominated much of the summit’s industrial discussion after significantly expanding its presence compared with previous years. Chinese companies announced multiple new projects and supply agreements during the event.
GH2 member Hygreen secured a contract to supply a 1.25 MW electrolysis system to a green hydrogen project in Nova Scotia, while Sungrow won an electrolyser supply order for a cement facility in Spain and was selected as the sole supplier for Atome’s Villeta project.
China invested US$3.7 billion into green hydrogen production last year alone. GH2 member Envision is already operating what is described as the world’s largest green hydrogen and ammonia plant in Inner Mongolia and delivered its first green ammonia cargoes to South Korea in February 2026.
India also reinforced its ambitions with more than 90 delegates attending the summit across government, industry, academia and research institutions, alongside more than 18 side events throughout the week.
Financing and risk allocation remained central topics throughout the summit. Industry participants noted that while capital availability is improving, projects continue to face challenges linked to infrastructure access, long term demand certainty and coordination across the project lifecycle.
A new report launched by GH2, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency and the World Bank highlighted the growing importance of shared infrastructure, predictable policy frameworks and early stage project de risking in helping projects progress towards final investment decision in emerging markets such as Egypt and Morocco.
Developers also stressed that concessional finance alone cannot guarantee project success without stable revenues and long term demand visibility.
The overall sentiment from Rotterdam was that green hydrogen has now moved beyond the demonstration phase and is increasingly establishing itself as a global industrial sector with growing commercial momentum.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
