INSTITUTION PROFILE / HYDROGEN ENERGY
Hydrogen Council
An alliance of hydrogen companies' CEOs. It sets no rules and no standards
The Hydrogen Council is an international alliance whose members are companies that make, move, equip or use hydrogen. It describes itself as "CEO-led". It is neither a government nor a standards body, so it has no power to regulate, to write standards or to hand out subsidies. What it does is pool its members' views and put them to governments, publish an annual report on the hydrogen market, and convene meetings. The investment and project figures it announces come from an alliance of companies that sell hydrogen, so they should be read as "the alliance's claims" and kept apart from independent statistics. This profile looks at one question only: how far the Council's influence over hydrogen energy actually reaches, in terms of the kind of power it holds and where that power applies.
- The Hydrogen Council in 30 seconds
- What kind of body it is: the four types of influence
- What it does for hydrogen energy
- How far its influence reaches (powers and geography)
- Members and connected organisations
- Outlook
- Glossary, references and claim-to-source audit
1. The Hydrogen Council in 30 seconds
The Hydrogen Council is a group that companies in the hydrogen business pay to join, and its main job is to carry the industry's requests to governments. The Council describes its own role as "a market catalyst and the key voice of industry" Sourced. It is not the body that decides hydrogen regulation or standards; it is a body that lobbies the ones that do (governments, the EU, standards organisations). When a Council report says that committed investment has passed US$130 billion, that is the alliance's own announcement, built on information from its members and on analysis done with a consulting firm. It is not the same thing as a government or intergovernmental statistic. An independent source covering the same market is the IEA's Global Hydrogen Review Sourced.
2. What kind of body it is: the four types of influence
Unlike the companies in this series, none of the institutions that appear in hydrogen coverage produces hydrogen. What separates them is the route by which they influence the industry, and that gives four types.
3. What it does for hydrogen energy
The activities described on the Council's website fall into four groups: reports, policy advocacy, meetings and membership Sourced. The table below sets out what could be confirmed on its official pages. All figures are the Hydrogen Council's own published numbers, and this article has not verified them independently.
| Activity | What could be confirmed (as published by the Council) | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| Report Global Hydrogen Compass | An annual report. The 2025 edition appeared on 8 September 2025 and the 2026 edition on 10 September 2026. The 2026 edition is co-authored with McKinsey & Company and, the Council says, reflects the views of some 70 CEOs. It reports committed investment (final investment decision or later) above US$130 billion, 6.9 Mtpa of committed capacity, more than 570 projects, 90% of them under construction or operating. Operating capacity is about 1.7 Mtpa, with most of the increase in China and Europe. Policies already in force support 6 Mtpa of 2030 demand, and a further 5 Mtpa if existing policies are fully implemented | An analysis by the alliance that includes member information. Not an independent third-party statistic |
| Earlier reports | Hydrogen Insights 2024 (17 September 2024). "Hydrogen: Closing the cost gap" (11 March 2025, prepared with McKinsey & Co's analytical support; it says that effective implementation of existing policies could support uptake of about 8 Mt a year across the EU, the United States and East Asia by 2030) | Estimates move with their assumptions, and definitions can change between editions |
| Policy advocacy Call-to-Action | On 20 May 2026, at the International Hydrogen Trade Forum (IHTF) Ministerial-CEO Roundtable in Rotterdam, the Council launched the CEO-led "Hydrogen for a Resilient World". It asks governments for three priority actions: embed hydrogen in emergency crisis response, use demand-creation tools, and boost infrastructure investment. The Council later said that 26 national and regional hydrogen associations had endorsed it | A request to governments. Whether to act on it is up to each government |
| Engagement on EU rules | A release of 24 September 2026 says 170 companies sent a letter to the European Commission asking it to keep the Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) targets and mandates for RFNBO hydrogen in transport and industry beyond 2030. The letter was addressed to the Commission's President, an Executive Vice-President and a Commissioner | A request, not a decision. This article has not confirmed any Commission decision |
| Meetings | Holds an annual CEO meeting (attendance is a membership commitment). The 2026 report was launched at a virtual event, and the Council says its findings were also presented the same day at the Hydrogen Energy Ministerial in Japan | A place where members meet policymakers directly |
| Membership | Two tiers: Steering Members (voting rights, three-year commitment) and Supporting Members (no say in strategic decisions, one-year commitment). Applications are assessed, with weight given to geographic and sector balance. Fees are set by internal rules and the amounts are not public | A body funded by its members, representing their interests |
The Hydrogen Council says its 2026 report complements the IEA's Global Hydrogen Review Sourced. The IEA's 2025 edition reports that global hydrogen demand was almost 100 Mt in 2024; that low-emissions hydrogen production was on track to reach 1 Mt in 2025, still under 1% of global production; and that low-emissions hydrogen from projects now operating or past final investment decision would reach 4.2 Mtpa by 2030 Sourced. The Council's 2026 edition, by contrast, gives 6.9 Mtpa of committed capacity (about 1.7 Mtpa operating). The two use different terms ("clean hydrogen" and "low-emissions hydrogen"), measure capacity in one case and production in the other, and refer to different years, so the numbers cannot be placed side by side. This article points out the difference and does not judge which is right.
4. How far its influence reaches (powers and geography)
| Aspect | What the Hydrogen Council has | What it does not have |
|---|---|---|
| Powers | Joint advocacy built from member companies' views, published reports, convening meetings. Steering Members have voting rights, and strategy is set by them | The power to regulate, to write standards, to distribute subsidies or to certify products or hydrogen. Those sit with governments, the EU and standards bodies |
| Geography | Members in about 30 countries. Its audiences are national governments, the EU and intergovernmental forums such as the IHTF | Binding force over any country's law. Its advocacy is a request, and no government is obliged to follow it |
| Interests | Members make, equip, move or use hydrogen, and want policy that supports their business. The Council's own wording (market catalyst, voice of industry) reflects this | The role of an independent statistician or auditor. Its reports include members' proprietary insights, and the co-author is a consulting firm |
| Scale | About 140 member companies; about US$6.4 trillion combined member revenue and 7.1 million employees (members' own figures); 14 secretariat staff | A published budget or total fee income (not found on the official pages) |
5. Members and connected organisations
The Council publishes the line-up of its "CEO Board", drawn from Steering Members, and the six companies that joined on 29 September 2026. Figure 2 shows only those companies for which the official pages confirm membership or a role, among the companies profiled in this series Sourced.
| Company | Role confirmed on the official pages |
|---|---|
| Air Liquide | One of the 13 companies at the 2017 launch. Its CEO, François Jackow, is now a Co-Chair |
| Toyota Motor Corporation | One of the 13 companies at the 2017 launch, and one of the two companies that then held the Co-Chair role. Its President is now on the CEO Board |
| Kawasaki Heavy Industries | One of the 13 companies at the 2017 launch. Its Chairman is now on the CEO Board |
| Linde | One of the 13 companies at the 2017 launch (then named The Linde Group). Its CEO is now on the CEO Board |
| Johnson Matthey, Siemens Energy | Each is on the CEO Board (Johnson Matthey through its CEO, Siemens Energy through a member of its Executive Board) |
| Acwa, TANAKA | Among the six companies that joined on 29 September 2026, under these names. The release presents Acwa as a developer in renewable hydrogen in Saudi Arabia, and TANAKA as a precious-metals company with fuel cell catalysts and electrolysis electrocatalysts. Because the release does not give full corporate names, this article does not assert that they are the same companies as ACWA Power and Tanaka Kikinzoku, which are profiled in this series |
* Whether other companies in this series (Plug Power, Nel, ITM Power, Ballard Power Systems and others) are members has not been checked. The Council's Members page did not show a readable list of member companies.
6. Outlook
| What can be read from the sources | Primary evidence | Category |
|---|---|---|
| The Global Hydrogen Compass is an annual publication, issued in September 2025 and September 2026. A 2027 edition is likely | The release of 10 September 2026 calls it an "annual publication". No date for the next edition was found | Inference |
| The debate between industry groups and the European Commission over EU RFNBO targets after 2030 will continue | The release of 24 September 2026 says 170 companies asked for the targets to be kept. Whether the Commission has decided to revise them was not confirmed in this article | Not yet confirmed |
| Membership will keep growing | The membership FAQ says the Council is receiving an unprecedented number of requests, and six companies were announced on 29 September 2026, with membership at "some 140" | Inference |
7. Glossary
- Steering Member
- A member that takes part in the Council's strategic decisions and has voting rights. CEO-level commitment is required, on a three-year term.
- Supporting Member
- A member that can join project teams but is not involved in strategic decisions. One-year term.
- Global Hydrogen Compass
- The Hydrogen Council's annual report, combining industry data, member insights, CEO views and lessons from projects.
- Committed (FID+)
- Projects that have reached final investment decision, are under construction or are operating. The category the Council uses when it totals "committed investment".
- Mtpa
- Million tonnes per year. Used for hydrogen production capacity and demand.
- RFNBO
- Renewable fuels of non-biological origin. In the EU's Renewable Energy Directive (RED III), the category that includes hydrogen made from renewable electricity.
8. References
- Hydrogen Council About the Council (some 140 companies, 20+ countries, market capitalisation, revenue and employees, mission, CEO Board, secretariat team). https://hydrogencouncil.com/en/about-the-council/
- Hydrogen Council Become a Member (Steering and Supporting Member criteria, three-year and one-year commitments, FAQ on fees and assessment). https://hydrogencouncil.com/en/become-a-member/
- Hydrogen Council Press release "Six new members join Hydrogen Council" (29 September 2026; six new members, some 140 companies from nearly 30 countries, about US$9 trillion market capitalisation, 7.1 million employees, about US$6.4 trillion revenue). https://hydrogencouncil.com/en/six-new-members-join-hydrogen-council-strengthening-global-collaboration-across-the-industry/
- Toyota Motor Corporation (published on its website) Launch announcement "New 'Hydrogen Council' launches in Davos" (dated 17 January 2017, Davos; the 13 companies and the Co-Chairs). https://global.toyota/detail/14752165
- Hydrogen Council Global Hydrogen Compass 2026 (10 September 2026). https://hydrogencouncil.com/en/global-hydrogen-compass-2026/
- Hydrogen Council Press release "Clean hydrogen investment reaches USD 130 billion..." (10 September 2026; co-authored with McKinsey & Company, some 70 CEOs, statement that the report complements the IEA's review). https://hydrogencouncil.com/en/clean-hydrogen-investment-reaches-usd-130-billion-as-energy-security-and-resilience-rise-up-the-global-agenda/
- Hydrogen Council Global Hydrogen Compass 2025 and the list of earlier reports (Compass 2025 on 8 September 2025, Closing the cost gap on 11 March 2025, Hydrogen Insights 2024 on 17 September 2024). https://hydrogencouncil.com/en/global-hydrogen-compass/
- Hydrogen Council Press release "Hydrogen for a resilient world: Global industry leaders launch CEO-led Call-to-Action" (20 May 2026, Rotterdam; three priority actions). https://hydrogencouncil.com/en/hydrogen-for-a-resilient-world-global-industry-leaders-launch-ceo-led-call-to-action-amid-recurrent-crises/
- Hydrogen Council Newsroom (summary of the 29 June 2026 release "20+ associations endorse the Call-to-Action": 26 national and regional hydrogen associations endorsed it). https://hydrogencouncil.com/en/newsroom/
- Hydrogen Council Press release "Industry calls to keep binding RFNBO hydrogen targets" (24 September 2026, Brussels; letter from 170 companies). https://hydrogencouncil.com/en/industry-calls-to-keep-binding-rfnbo-hydrogen-targets/
- International Energy Agency (IEA) Global Hydrogen Review 2025, Executive summary (global hydrogen demand, low-emissions hydrogen production, outlook to 2030). https://www.iea.org/reports/global-hydrogen-review-2025/executive-summary
9. Claim-to-source audit
| Claim in the article | Category | Source |
|---|---|---|
| About 140 members, member companies' combined market capitalisation, revenue and employees (the Council's own figures), mission, CEO Board line-up, number of secretariat staff listed | Sourced | Reference 1 https://hydrogencouncil.com/en/about-the-council/ |
| Steering and Supporting Member tiers, voting rights, commitment periods, fees set by internal rules, the phrase "global association" | Sourced | Reference 2 https://hydrogencouncil.com/en/become-a-member/ |
| Six new members on 29 September 2026, nearly 30 countries, 7.1 million employees, Brussels dateline | Sourced | Reference 3 https://hydrogencouncil.com/en/six-new-members-join-hydrogen-council-strengthening-global-collaboration-across-the-industry/ |
| Launch on 17 January 2017 in Davos by 13 companies, the 13 names, Air Liquide and Toyota as Co-Chairs | Sourced | Reference 4 https://global.toyota/detail/14752165 |
| Compass 2026 contents (over US$130 billion, 6.9 Mtpa, about 1.7 Mtpa operating, 6 Mtpa plus 5 Mtpa) | Sourced | Reference 5 https://hydrogencouncil.com/en/global-hydrogen-compass-2026/ |
| Co-authorship with McKinsey & Company, some 70 CEOs, the statement that it complements the IEA's review, presentation at the Hydrogen Energy Ministerial in Japan | Sourced | Reference 6 https://hydrogencouncil.com/en/clean-hydrogen-investment-reaches-usd-130-billion-as-energy-security-and-resilience-rise-up-the-global-agenda/ |
| Titles and dates of earlier reports (Compass 2025, Closing the cost gap, Hydrogen Insights 2024) | Sourced | Reference 7 https://hydrogencouncil.com/en/global-hydrogen-compass/ |
| Date, venue and three priority actions of the Call-to-Action | Sourced | Reference 8 https://hydrogencouncil.com/en/hydrogen-for-a-resilient-world-global-industry-leaders-launch-ceo-led-call-to-action-amid-recurrent-crises/ |
| Endorsement by 26 hydrogen associations (release of 29 June 2026) | Sourced | Reference 9 https://hydrogencouncil.com/en/newsroom/ |
| The letter from 170 companies and the request to keep RFNBO targets | Sourced | Reference 10 https://hydrogencouncil.com/en/industry-calls-to-keep-binding-rfnbo-hydrogen-targets/ |
| The IEA's figures (demand of almost 100 Mt, low-emissions production, 4.2 Mtpa by 2030) | Sourced | Reference 11 https://www.iea.org/reports/global-hydrogen-review-2025/executive-summary |
| The four types of institution | Our calculation | Our own classification |
| The statement that it has no power over regulation, standards or subsidies | Our calculation | Our reading of references 1 and 2, which describe its organisation and membership and mention no such powers |
| The caution that the Council's and the IEA's figures cannot be compared directly | Our calculation | Our reading of the differences in terms and years across references 5, 6 and 11 |
| The Council's budget and fee income, the secretariat's location and its legal form | Not yet confirmed | Not stated in references 1 to 3; this article does not estimate them |
| How the European Commission will treat RFNBO targets | Not yet confirmed | Reference 10 records only the request; this article has not confirmed any decision |
| The outlook in section 6 (next Compass edition, membership growth) | Inference | This article's reading of references 5, 6 and 3, and the FAQ in reference 2 |
Last updated 5 October 2026 / Troy Technical
All figures come from the Hydrogen Council's website and releases, the launch announcement and the IEA's report. The Council's figures are its own announcements and have not been independently verified here. Items marked "Inference" are this article's reading of the primary information, not statements by the Council.