New Guide Maps Out Path for Scaling Hydrogen for Data Centres

Fredericia, Brussels, November 3, 2026 - Hydrogen Europe and the Net Zero Innovation Hub for Data Centers (NZIH) are pleased to announce the publication of Hydrogen Infrastructure for Europe's Data Centres: A Practical Guide for Operators, Developers and Investors. It follows discussions at European Hydrogen Week, where the guide was also announced during a keynote in the B2B Forum.

The guide sets out to provide the answers needed to plan the use of hydrogen for data centres. The technology has been demonstrated: in April 2026, NZIH and INNIO ran a 3 MW test of 100% hydrogen backup power against data centre load profiles, with Microsoft, Google, and Data4 as technical observers. Hydrogen is one of several pathways the Hub is testing for clean backup power, and the guide finds that technology is not the main barrier to the use of hydrogen at scale: infrastructure and policy are.

The guide's central recommendation is to plan hydrogen infrastructure and data center growth together, in digital energy hubs. In a hub, data centers, hydrogen production, renewables, and batteries operate as a microgrid. This benefits both backup power and grid balancing: the same on-site assets that provide clean backup can also support the grid, freeing up capacity and shortening the path to a grid connection. It also gives hydrogen producers the long-term offtake they need to reach final investment decision.

The guide answers three key questions:

• When will hydrogen be available? Near term, hydrogen use in data centers is expected to stay at pilot scale. Projects reaching final investment decision (FID) by 2027 could provide the basis for multi-megawatt commitments. Europe has 677 MW of electrolyzer capacity in operation (July 2026), against 37.6 GW announced by 2030.
• Where will it be available? Infrastructure is furthest along in Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium. Elsewhere, near-term supply is likely to rely on trucked hydrogen or on-site production. The guide’s maps show where hydrogen infrastructure and data center growth can be planned together, including around the FLAP-D hubs.
• At what price can hydrogen realistically be expected? Renewable hydrogen costs around €4 to €14/kg to produce and averaged €7.1/kg in the EU in 2025 under the strictest rules (RFNBO). Data centres are not bound by the EU’s RED III quotas, so they can choose the most cost-effective low-carbon route.

"The technologies that convert hydrogen to power already work at megawatt scale. What operators need to know now is when hydrogen will reach their sites, where, and at what price. Planning hydrogen infrastructure and data center growth together, particularly in digital energy hubs, is how we make it succeed. The benefits include backup power, grid balancing, faster time to power, and a positive impact on local communities. " said Alberto Ravagni, CEO of the Net Zero Innovation Hub for Data Centers.

“The hydrogen sector is ready to deliver for Europe's energy resilience goals. Data centres can offer project developers the infrastructure and long-term offtake contracts needed to reach final investment decision. Planning data centres and hydrogen production facilities together from the start will ensure a cohesion and stability as we ramp up both data centre and hydrogen capacity,” said Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, CEO of Hydrogen Europe.

The guide is available for download here.

View the guide digitally here.

About the Net Zero Innovation Hub for Data Centers

The Net Zero Innovation Hub for Data Centers unites leaders across the data center industry to accelerate the deployment of advanced net-zero solutions. Backed by APL, Danfoss, Data4, ENGIE, Google, Microsoft, Schneider Electric, and Vertiv, the Hub works to identify, test, and de-risk new technologies for the industry, removing the technical, commercial, regulatory, and financial barriers that slow their path to deployment.

Through a unique and structured collaborative innovation methodology, its goal is to support sustainable data center growth while enabling the transition toward a net-zero future.

About Hydrogen Europe

Hydrogen Europe is the European association representing the interest of the hydrogen industry and its stakeholders and promoting hydrogen as an enabler of a zero-emission society. With 600+ members, including 40+ EU regions and 30+ national associations, it encompasses the entire value chain of the European hydrogen and fuel cell ecosystem. Hydrogen Europe’s mission is to unlock the industrial scale deployment of clean hydrogen.

For more information, visit www.hydrogeneurope.eu.

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Media contacts

For Net Zero Innovation Hub for Data Centers:
Christine Kjær Jacobsen

+45 2975 2932
chja@netzerodatacenters.com

For Hydrogen Europe:

Peter Collins
+32 472 074 097

p.collins@hydrogeneurope.eu