Germany and Japan accelerate hydrogen offtake contracts to secure supply

Hydrogen offtake agreements are multiplying, with Germany and Japan leading, mobilizing producers and industrial buyers in a still nascent but already highly competitive market.

Share:

Comprehensive energy news coverage, updated nonstop

Annual subscription

8.25€/month*

*billed annually at 99€/year for the first year then 149,00€/year ​

Unlimited access • Archives included • Professional invoice

OTHER ACCESS OPTIONS

Monthly subscription

Unlimited access • Archives included

5.2€/month*
then 14.90€ per month thereafter

FREE ACCOUNT

3 articles offered per month

FREE

*Prices are excluding VAT, which may vary depending on your location or professional status

Since 2021: 35,000 articles • 150+ analyses per week

Long-term hydrogen purchase contracts, known as offtake agreements, are a central lever for the sector’s development. These agreements allow producers to secure investments in costly infrastructure while providing buyers with stable supply. Germany and Japan are emerging as pioneer markets in this dynamic, with a growing concentration of industrial initiatives.

Germany structures its industrial needs

Germany has seen a surge in agreements linking producers with major industrial players. These contracts support the energy needs of strategic sectors such as chemicals, steelmaking, and heavy transport. Several German companies have already formalized multi-year commitments with European producers, sending a strong signal for the bankability of projects. The announced volumes cover millions of tons of hydrogen by the end of the decade, strengthening the credibility of the domestic market.

Japan anticipates massive demand

Japan positions itself as a leading importer, with a strategy focused on securing international flows. Japanese companies have signed long-term supply contracts, including projects located in Australia and the Middle East. The country mobilizes its industrial conglomerates to lock in substantial volumes, exceeding several hundred thousand tons annually. This approach aims to anticipate growing consumption in maritime transport, power generation, and heavy industry.

An already marked international competition

The multiplication of purchase contracts highlights the emergence of international competition. Europe, through Germany, seeks to build an integrated market, while Japan prioritizes external supply security. This divergence in strategies underscores uncertainties surrounding the global availability of low-carbon hydrogen, but also confirms the rising interest from investors and financial institutions. For producers, the conclusion of such contracts remains a prerequisite for project execution.

HTEC has inaugurated a clean hydrogen production facility in Burnaby, British Columbia, marking the launch of the province’s first commercial-scale electrolyzer, with a combined production capacity of 1.8 tonnes of clean hydrogen per day.
Buscando Resources officially becomes Element One Hydrogen and Critical Minerals Corp. and completes a C$1.03mn fundraising through a three-tranche private placement.
The partnership includes local manufacturing in Poland of electrolysis systems using Elogen’s technology, with deliveries targeting the Europe, Middle East and Africa markets.
Vema Hydrogen has been named a qualified supplier by the First Public Hydrogen Authority to deliver clean hydrogen at industrial scale to California’s public and private infrastructure.
Le groupe français HRS a signé une commande pour la livraison d'une station hydrogène haute capacité, renforçant sa présence dans un réseau en expansion à l’échelle européenne.
With a $14mn investment, Enap progresses on the construction of its first green hydrogen plant, expected to be operational in early 2026 in the Magallanes region of southern Chile.
Plug completed the first delivery of 44.5 tonnes of hydrogen for the H2CAST project in Germany and secured a new contract for an additional 35 tonnes, confirming its logistical capabilities in the European market.
Gushine Electronics has opened a lithium battery plant in Vietnam, with an estimated annual production value of $100 mn, marking a new phase in the international deployment of its industrial capacities.
Indonesian nickel producer Anugrah Neo Energy Materials plans a $300mn IPO in December to finance its growing battery materials operations.
Sultan Qaboos University announces a breakthrough in water electrolysis using new rare-metal catalysts, improving production efficiency by more than 30%.
Standard Lithium a sécurisé $130mn via une émission d’actions ordinaires pour financer ses projets d’extraction de lithium en Arkansas et au Texas, consolidant sa position sur le marché nord-américain des métaux stratégiques.
Asset manager Quinbrook expands its North American portfolio with a first Canadian investment by acquiring a strategic stake in developer Elemental Clean Fuels.
Lhyfe commissions a 10 MW site in Schwäbisch Gmünd, its first in Germany, to supply RFNBO-certified green hydrogen to industrial and heavy mobility clients.
Brookfield will invest up to $5 billion in Bloom Energy's fuel cells to power future artificial intelligence factories, initiating the first phase of a dedicated global digital infrastructure strategy.
Metacon acquired components from the bankruptcy estate of Hynion Sverige AB for SEK3.5mn ($320,000), aiming to support its hydrogen refuelling station projects in Sweden.
The United Kingdom has carried out its first real-life trial of green hydrogen blending into the national gas transmission network, with power generation as a result.
Swedish company Liquid Wind has secured €3.6mn in public funding for the engineering phase of its eMethanol plant, integrated into a biomass-fuelled cogeneration site.
The Japanese industrial group will replace a 73.5 MW coke and gas-fired turbine with a 30 to 40 MW hydrogen-ready unit, scheduled to start operations in 2030 with ¥7.1bn ($47mn) in public support.
A two-year project aims to identify areas in Texas suitable for natural hydrogen exploitation, despite challenges related to infrastructure, public policy and economic viability.
Plug Power has announced the appointment of Jose Luis Crespo as President effective October 10, before assuming the role of Chief Executive Officer once the company publishes its annual report, expected in March 2026.

All the latest energy news, all the time

Annual subscription

8.25€/month*

*billed annually at 99€/year for the first year then 149,00€/year ​

Unlimited access - Archives included - Pro invoice

Monthly subscription

Unlimited access • Archives included

5.2€/month*
then 14.90€ per month thereafter

*Prices shown are exclusive of VAT, which may vary according to your location or professional status.

Since 2021: 30,000 articles - +150 analyses/week.