Germany Launches €2.5B H2Global Auction to Secure Global Green Hydrogen Supply

Germany is back with another big push for green hydrogen—this time rolling out the second €2.5 billion H2Global auction through its public agency Hintco. What’s the goal? To secure long-term supplies of renewable hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol from outside the EU and start bringing them into the German market. The auction splits the global sourcing strategy into regions—think Africa, Asia, North and South America, and Oceania—with each of them getting a chunk of at least €484 million in funding.

How the H2Global double auction model works

Here’s where it gets interesting. Hintco is running what’s called the H2Global double auction mechanism. Simply put, they buy hydrogen production at the lowest prices offered by global producers—then flip it to European buyers at the highest bid. Pretty clever. The catch: there’s usually a price gap between what producers want and what buyers will pay, and that’s where the German government steps in, covering the difference. For one of the supply lots, the Netherlands has teamed up too.

Of course, not just anyone can throw their hat in the ring. Suppliers need to meet tough EU RFNBO standards (Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin), and be operating electrolyzers that can pump out at least 5 MW of capacity. The clock’s ticking—applications are open now and close on September 12, 2025.

Driving industrial decarbonization and opening global trade

At its core, this isn’t just about energy—it’s about transformation. Germany’s leaning hard into the hydrogen economy, and this initiative is designed to speed up the launch of a truly global hydrogen market. The goal? Greater price transparency, stronger international clean energy trade, and a serious leap forward in industrial decarbonization. Whether it’s green hydrogen or ammonia production, creating reliable supply chains now paves the way for a more climate-friendly future tomorrow.