The Netherlands is considering extending its renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBO) quotas in transport to 2040, its climate minister has confirmed, potentially offering green hydrogen producers longer-term demand certainty.
Stientje van Veldhoven–van der Meer told European Hydrogen Week it would be “logical” for the country to put targets in place beyond 2030.
The minister’s comments come despite a leaked European Commission document appearing to show proposals to scrap the post-2030 binding RFNBO targets.
“We are in conversations with the Ministry for Transport,” she said. “I think this is the kind of demand stimulation that gives very clear indications over time for a large sector.”
Earlier this year, the Netherlands introduced transport RFNBO quotas, rising from 0.05% in 2026 to 1.45% by 2030 in land transport, with renewable hydrogen used in oil refining permitted to account for up to 1.07 percentage points of the final target.
The government originally did not set targets for after 2030.
Van Veldhoven–van der Meer did not indicate when a decision could be made on extending the quotas.
However, she talked up the impact of the quotas, which allow renewable fuel suppliers to generate credits that can be sold to obligated fuel suppliers.
Referencing hydrogen refuelling firm Fountain Fuel’s recent 42% reduction in pump prices, she said, “We just had the first company in the Netherlands offering hydrogen for just below €10/kg for transport, and they said they can do that because they calculated the avoided cost of carbon.”
Pressed on her thoughts about the Commission paper leak, she said, “Whenever the Commission is proposing ways to make it function better, we will support it. If we feel that is something that could weaken it, we would be critical.
“We think some optimisation can actually help, but certain weakening we are critical about.”
The uncertainty over post-2030 obligations has raised concerns among European hydrogen developers and electrolyser manufacturers, which argue that binding targets are essential to underpin investment in new production capacity.
Germany has also come out in support of retaining the measures post-2030, having already set RFNBO transport quotas through 2040.
