A coalition of more than 30 European energy organisations is asking for €1 billion to support around 50 natural hydrogen wells. It wants the work to take place across at least 10 Member States. The request was presented to European Commission representatives in Brussels on 28 October.
How did the proposal reach the Commission?
Mantle8 initiated an open letter urging the EU to support natural hydrogen exploration and provide clearer rules. The letter was presented at European Hydrogen Week in Brussels on 28 October. Mantle8 CEO Emmanuel Masini and Commission representatives participated in a ceremonial handover.
The coalition includes investment firms World Fund, Wind Capital and Natural Hydrogen Ventures. An official dispatch to relevant Commission director-generals and commissioners is planned for the following week. The source does not give a response from the Commission or a decision timetable.
Why is the request being made now?
The European Commission is preparing a renewed EU Hydrogen Strategy. Its call for evidence, launched on 26 October, explicitly mentions natural hydrogen as an emerging source for research and innovation. The coalition’s letter arrives during this evidence-gathering phase, but the source does not say that the proposal has been accepted.
The letter warns that Europe risks falling behind while the US, Australia and other regions advance exploration. It asks for investment as well as clearer EU regulations. The source provides no detail on how the proposed funding would be allocated or what conditions would apply.
What does natural hydrogen mean?
Natural hydrogen is generated by geological processes beneath the Earth’s surface and may accumulate in underground reservoirs. It differs from hydrogen made using electricity or fossil fuels because it occurs naturally underground. It could provide primary energy, subject to successful exploration, extraction and processing.
The sector is at an early stage. Further fieldwork is needed to establish the scale and productivity of potential resources, as well as whether they are economically viable. The proposal would support around 50 wells, but the source does not set out specific testing criteria or expected outcomes for them.
What would the €1 billion support?
The requested programme would support exploration across at least 10 Member States. Its stated scale is around 50 wells, with a total proposed budget of €1 billion. The letter also calls for clearer rules, though it does not describe particular regulatory changes.
Mantle8 is developing methods to identify naturally occurring hydrogen before drilling. According to the source, it uses geological analysis and subsurface data processing to locate active hydrogen-generating reactions and places where the resource might gather in commercially viable volumes. The company is testing its methods through field projects; the source does not provide project results.
What remains undecided?
The planned dispatch to Commission officials is the next stated step for the coalition. Separately, the Commission’s renewed strategy is in preparation following its call for evidence. The source does not say when the strategy will be published or whether it will include the requested programme.
No funding approval, regulatory change or final assessment of natural hydrogen’s commercial prospects is reported. Those questions remain open while further fieldwork is needed. The proposal’s next reported development is the planned official dispatch to the Commission.