A game-changing boost for Norway’s green hydrogen ambitions has arrived. Norwegian Hydrogen AS just scored a massive €31.5 million grant from the EU Innovation Fund for their RjukanLH2 project. Not too shabby for a country already swimming in oil money.
This cash injection isn’t just pocket change—it’s part of a much larger €2.9 billion EU investment targeting industrial net-zero projects. And that’s not all. They’ve also secured an extra €13.2 million in operational support from the EU Hydrogen Bank auction. Innovation Norway is throwing in their two cents too: NOK 50 million in grants plus another NOK 50 million as a green growth loan. The Norwegians are really milking this opportunity.
RjukanLH2 isn’t just another pie-in-the-sky green initiative. It’s Norway’s first complete value chain for green liquid hydrogen, specifically targeting maritime transport. We’re talking production, liquefaction, storage, and bunkering—the whole package. Jens Berge, CEO of Norwegian Hydrogen since 2021, is leading this revolutionary project toward sustainable energy solutions.
RjukanLH2 delivers the full hydrogen package—not just dreamy green talk, but the entire maritime supply chain from production to ship bunkering.
Once operational in 2028, it’ll pump out over 3,500 tonnes of green hydrogen annually. That’s enough to cut emissions by 99.8% compared to the fossil fuels currently powering ships. Impressive, if they pull it off.
This project puts Norway in the driver’s seat as Europe’s green hydrogen producer. Perfect timing, given the EU’s desperate scramble to decarbonize everything with a motor. The facility, to be located in Rjukan, Norway, will combine electrolysis hydrogen production with liquefaction tech and develop bespoke bunkering solutions for ports.
The EU Innovation Fund, bankrolled by emissions trading revenues, is throwing money at projects like this across Europe. They’ve already allocated €992 million to 15 renewable hydrogen projects in five countries. It’s all part of their master plan to close the cost gap between renewable hydrogen and fossil fuels. Despite the enthusiasm, the project faces significant challenges with energy efficiency losses that typically reduce hydrogen’s usable energy to just 15-20% of the original electricity input.
For Norway, this is more than just free money. It’s their ticket to becoming Europe’s hydrogen powerhouse when oil finally goes out of fashion.
References
- https://energywatch.com/EnergyNews/Renewables/article18700622.ece
- https://norwegianhydrogen.com/news/more-support-for-rjukan-liquid-hydrogen-project-with-eur-31-5-million-grant-from-eu-innovation
- https://www.hidrojenteknolojileri.org/en/hydrogen-news-from-europe-june-2025/
- https://nordicinnovators.com/funding-programmes/eu/hydrogen-auction/
- https://www.nho.no/contentassets/a025ff3a07134a35ae904dcef1238205/menon—hydrogen-subsidy-regimes.pdf
- https://h2eg.com/h2-view-news-europe-to-invest-e2-9bn-in-industrial-net-zero-projects/
- https://ship.energy/energy/norwegian-hydrogen-offered-e31-5-million-grant-from-eu-innovation-fund-for-liquid-hydrogen-value-chain/
- https://en.igascn.com/global/detail?TypeId=1037&Id=11742&SortSource=list
- https://climate.ec.europa.eu/eu-action/eu-funding-climate-action/innovation-fund/innovation-fund-projects_en
