“Natural hydrogen remains insufficiently addressed at European level” (Yannick Peysson, Ifpen)

“The issue of natural hydrogen is not being addressed sufficiently at European level. In light of the crisis in the Middle East, we must reaffirm that there are alternative energy sources to oil and gas. However, we lack funding for research and support for companies wishing to drill.

Natural hydrogen remains insufficiently addressed at European level. Against the backdrop of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, it is more important than ever to highlight the existence of credible alternative energy sources to oil and gas. Yet research funding remains scarce, support for companies wishing to drill is lacking, and natural hydrogen has yet to be included in either the European taxonomy or the EU's hydrogen strategy, even though it represents an opportunity for Europe. “We want to put natural hydrogen on the European agenda,” Yannick Peysson, head of the Natural Hydrogen R&D programme at Ifpen, told News Tank on 25 June 2026.

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