The Ministry of Industry and Energy announces the launch of the competitive dialogue phase of the support mechanism for the production of decarbonized hydrogen, in which 10 candidates will participate, for a cumulative electrolysis capacity of 388 MW. By offering to support the winning hydrogen producers for up to 15 years after the commissioning of the production facilities, this mechanism is at the heart of the national strategy for decarbonized hydrogen, the revision of which was published by the Government in April 2025.

The new national strategy for decarbonized hydrogen provides for the support of 1 GW of electrolysis capacity, for a cumulative amount estimated at €4 billion.

On December 19, 2024, France launched the first wave of the hydrogen production support system for a total electrolysis capacity of up to 200 MW.

Of 16 applicant companies with projects totalling over 1,400 MW, just over 400 MW of electrolysis capacity were submitted for support, almost double the amount allocated.

For this first wave, a competitive dialogue will be conducted by the Directorate General for Energy and Climate (DGEC) and ADEME, the system’s operator on behalf of the Ministry, to allow for the draft specifications to be refined with candidates so that they best reflect the technical and economic reality of the hydrogen market. This process ensures that candidates are heard under conditions that guarantee strict equality between them.

Ten projects meeting the minimum requirements of the consultation file have been selected to participate in the dialogue phase. Once the dialogue phase is completed and the final version of the specifications has been finalized following consultation with the Energy Regulatory Commission, applicants will be able to submit their grant applications. The highest-ranked projects will be announced as winners in early 2026.

In accordance with the provisions of the Energy Code, the list of candidates selected for the dialogue is not made public. The candidates designated as winners of the call for tenders will be made public at the end of the procedure, in early 2026.

The mechanism to support the production of decarbonized hydrogen contributes directly to France’s energy and industrial sovereignty and to the decarbonization of our industry. It will help the sector gradually gain technological, economic, and competitive maturity to initiate a wider deployment of hydrogen solutions. [Its validation by the European Commission under State aid control is currently underway.]