Innovative business models advancing renewable electrolysis integration in industry

Expected Outcome:Renewable hydrogen is pivotal for decarbonising energy-intensive and hard-to-abate industrial sectors, such as steel (via combustion or direct reduction), chemicals, ammonia, methanol, and petrochemicals. Challenges related to cost competitiveness should be tackled in earnest. By 2030, these efforts should aim to establish renewable hydrogen as a commercially viable feedstock, reducing agent, energy vector whilst simultaneously enhancing its sustainability (including the potential circularity of hydrogen production technologies), thus positioning Europe as a leader in industrial decarbonisation.However, recent delays and cancellations have shown that, while technical progress is ongoing, economic, contractual and financial bottlenecks hinder projects from reaching Final Investment Decision (FID). At the same time, innovative business models – including new ownership models, licensing/service-based approaches and variable revenue schemes – are needed to unlock private capital and ensure long-term competitiveness. These should be complemented by appropriate financing and contractual architecture, with the aim of fostering the success of projects under development, raising awareness among public decision makers, and validating strategies through large-scale industrial integration cases.This topic aims to design and validate innovative business models for industrial renewable hydrogen integration, and to check their bankability through simplified financial, contractual and policy analysis in cooperation with relevant stakeholders.By addressing these challenges, the CSA will contribute to the objectives of the Clean Industrial Deal, supporting Europe’s industrial base in decarbonising competitively, attracting private investment, and strengthening resilience across value chains.Projects are expected to contribute to all the following outcomes:Accelerated financial maturity of Hydrogen integration in industry through innovative business model solutions fo