May 2026

FCHEA Updates

FCHEA President Testifiies at 45Z Public Hearing

On May 27, FCHEA President Frank Wolak testified at a Department of Treasury and Internal Revenue Service public hearing on proposed regulations for the Section 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit. Frank outlined the importance of the credit to the hydrogen industry and asked for clarification and alignment on several key issues to ensure the credit can be used to its full potential to uplift offtake markets for hydrogen, build domestic production pathways, and boost export potential for U.S. companies.

Source: Grand Light

 

Click here for more information about the proposed regulations, meeting materials, and submitted comments, including the comments submitted by FCHEA in April. 

Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Industry Headlines

Agriculture Secretary Announces Expedited Permits for Blue Point Ammonia Facility

On May 19, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins announced at a press conference on domestic fertilizer policy that the $3.7 billion Blue Point ammonia plant in Louisiana would receive expedited permitting which would be completed within 45 days. Also in attendance at the press conference was Energy Secretary Chir Wright, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, and various members of Congress.

 

Blue Point is a joint venture between FCHEA members CF and JERA, as well as Mitsui & Co. The facility is expected to be operational in late 2029 and is planned to produce more than 1.4 million metric tons of ammonia per year.

Source: USDA/Farm Progress

 

Click here to read the full article and here to watch the USDA livestream of the event.

Toyota and Hyroad to Deploy Hydrogen Fuel Cell Trucks

On May 4, FCHEA member Toyota Motor North America announced an agreement with Hyroad Energy to deploy 40 hydrogen fuel cell Class 8 commerical trucks in Southern California. Under the agreement, Hyroad will provide trucks, maintenance, data and software services to support Toyota’s logistics operations. Toyota will supply hydrogen fuel through its own refueling infrastructure, currently under development in Ontario, California. 

Source: Toyota

 

Click here for the full press release from Toyota.

Nebius and Bloom Energy Partner on AI Infrastructure

On May 20, FCHEA member Bloom Energy and Nebius announced an agreement to deploy Bloom’s fuel cell technology to help power Nebius’s AI infrastructure build-out in the United States, with with potential for expanding globally. Bloom’s fuel cell systems will provide behind-the-meter electricity for Nebius and help meet demand for the compute capacity underpinning its full-stack AI cloud platform.

 

The first project with 328 MW of installed capacity is expected to be operational this year, eliminating the need for gas turbines at the site.

 

Click here to read the full press release from Nebius.

AIRCO Establishes U.S. Manufacturing Hub in Pennsylvania

On May 19, FCHEA member AIRCO™ (formerly Air Company) announced the opening of a new primary manufacturing and integration facility in New Britain, Pennsylvania. The facility will produce AIRCO’s modular synthetic fuel production systems, to supply to its government partners. 

Source: AIRCO

 

Click here to read the full press release from AIRCO. 

EVOLOH to Deploy 2.5 MW Electrolyzer at 3M Facility

On May 18, FCHEA member EVOLOH announced it was deploying a 2.5-megawatt (MW) S440 packed hydrogen system at a 3M facility for a commercial-scale pilot project. EVOLOH will jointly operate the system with 3M to collect data from a live industrial environment.  

Source: EVOLOH

 

Click here to read the full press release from EVOLOH.

NEL Announces Commercial Launch of Next-Generation Alkaline Electrolyzer System

On May 6, FCHEA member Nel announced the commercial launch of its next-generation alkaline electrolyzer system. The system was in development for eight years in Nel's Heroya facility in Norway and is designed to be a modular, skid-based design, with factory-assembled units delivered as a standardized product. Nel estimates that the full-scope cost of its deployment will be below $1,450 USD per kW based on a 25 MW plant.

Click here for the full press release from NEL and click image to see video.

Federal Pacific Awarded Bloom Energy Contract 

On May 13, Federal Pacific announced a large contract award from Bloom Energy to supply medium-voltage switchgear and engineering services supporting a large-scale AI data center project. The multi-phase project represents the largest single order in Federal Pacific's history, and the equipment will be engineered and manufactured at the company’s headquarters and production facilities in Bristol, Virginia.

 

Click here to read the full press release from Federal Pacific.

Quest One Expands Modular Hydrogen Platform Capabilities, Including Outdoor Configuration

On May 20, FCHEA member Quest One announced its Modular Hydrogen Platform (MHP) is now available in an outdoor configuration, eliminating the need to construct a dedicated electrolyzer building, including the associated effort and investments required for ventilation, fire protection and coordination between multiple trades and interfaces. The new configuration enables the platform to be deployed as an open-air installation and is ideally suited for refinery and chemical plants, which typically rely on large-scale outdoor process equipment. The MHP is a scalable, 10-megawatt (MW) modular PEM electrolysis platform.

 

Beyond the electrolyzer itself, Quest One is expanding the functional system scope of the MHP, including integrated solutions surrounding the plant, such as cooling systems, freshwater treatment and hydrogen purification. 

Source: Quest One

 

Click here to read the full press release from Quest One. 

Bloom Energy Joint Venture with Brookfield Selected as Energy Deal of the Year

On May 11, Bloom Energy and Brookfield were awarded “Energy Deal of the Year” at the 5th annual Global Awards held by The Tech Capital for the companies’ $5 billion joint venture.

 

The Tech Capital Global Awards recognize the companies, executives, investors and projects driving the evolution of digital infrastructure, data centers, AI infrastructure, cloud, connectivity and energy.

 

Click here to see the full list of awards.

Ballard Selected by Two Long-Standing Partners to Supply Fuel Cells for Buses

On May 6, FCHEA member Ballard Power Systems announced that its long-standing partner, Solaris, formally selected Ballard as the fuel cell supplier for its next‑generation hydrogen fuel cell bus.

 

Solaris will integrate Ballard’s FCmove®‑SC hydrogen fuel cell engine into its Generation 2 fuel cell bus. The sale of engines has been incorporated into an update of the existing LTSA, extending it to 2029, to match with next-gen bus delivery while also strategically aligning commercial terms.

 

Read the full press release from Ballard here.  



On May 7, Ballard Power Systems announced that Wrightbus, another long‑standing partner, has formally nominated Ballard as the fuel cell supplier for its next‑generation StreetDeck Hydroliner Gen 3.0 hydrogen bus platform. This nomination covers the integration of Ballard’s FCmove®‑SC hydrogen fuel cell engine into Wrightbus’ Gen 3.0 double‑decker FCEV bus, with series production scheduled to begin in 2027.

 

Read the full press release from Ballard here. 

Nuvera HydroCharge™ Approved for WAZIP Incentive Program

On May 9, FCHEA member Nuvera announced that its HydroCharge™ hydrogen fuel cell powered AC genset and DC fast charger is now approved for Washington Zero Emission Incentive Program (WAZIP) funding – up to a $260,000 incentive per unit.

WAZIP offers instant point of sale discounts on medium- and heavy-duty zero-

emission vehicles (ZEVs) and equipment, funded by Washington’s Climate Commitment Act (CCA), managed by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), and administered by CALSTART.

 

Click here for Nuvera’s announcement and here for more information about the WAZIP program.

International Headlines

European Commission Announces Funding Awards and New German Opportunity

In May, two big funding developments were announced by the European Commission (EC).

 

The first was the selection of nine hydrogen production projects in seven countries that will receive a collective €1.09 billion (US$1.3 billion) under the third auction of the European Hydrogen Bank. The projects are expected to provide almost 1.1 gigawatts (GW) of electrolyzer capacity and produce over 1.3 million tons of hydrogen over their first 10 years of operation.

 

Click here to see the full list of projects.

 

The EC also announced it approved, under EU State aid rules, a €5 billion (US$5.8 billion) German funding scheme to help companies in industrial sectors decarbonize their production processes. Eligible projects must involve fundamental technological changes and replace fossil fuels or raw materials with low-carbon alternatives such as electrification, hydrogen, carbon capture and storage (CCS), carbon capture and use (CCU), biomethane, and heat recovery and storage.

 

The aid will take the form of two-way carbon contracts for difference with a duration of 15 years. Beneficiaries will receive annual payments linked to market developments, such as EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) allowances or energy input prices, compared to conventional technologies.

 

Click here to learn more about the funding opportunity.

Hyundai Translead Announces Commercial Launch of XCIENT Fuel Cell Trucks in Canada

On May 13, FCHEA member Hyundai Translead announced that Breadner Trailers, an established Hyundai Translead trailer dealer, will expand its role to serve as a dealer for the XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks in Canada.

 

A total of 11 XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks are currently operating in Canada today, including in several hydrogen mobility initiatives in British Columbia such as the BC Hydrogen Ports Project, the H2 Gateway Project, and the Heavy-Duty Zero-Emission Vehicles (HDZEV) Project.

 

Click here to read the full press release from Hyundai Translead.

Toyota Nederland Signs Agreement to Integrate Hydrogen Ground Service Equipment at Rotterdam Airport

On May 27, Toyota Motor Europe announced that Toyota Nederland has signed an agreement with Rotterdam The Hague Innovation Airport (RHIA) to support the integration of hydrogen-powered ground service equipment. Toyota will contribute to a dedicated working group that will be formed to focus on introducing hydrogen-powered ground service mobility at the airport. 

Source: Toyota

 

Click here to read the full article from Toyota.

Bosch Motorsport to Demonstrate Latest Hydrogen Engine in Racecar at Le Mans

On May 28, FCHEA member Bosch announced that Bosch Motorsport would be demonstrating a hydrogen engine based on Maserati's 3.0-liter six-cylinder Nettuno gasoline engine at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Source: Bosch

 

Bosch Engineering entered into a strategic partnership with Ligier Automotive in 2021 and developed a hydrogen-powered race car prototype, the Ligier JS2 RH2, at Le Mans in 2023. In the tests conducted since then, the vehicle and engine have accumulated almost 8,000 test kilometers on track under various weather conditions without any technical issues. As in previous years, the Ligier JS2 RH2 with the hydrogen engine will complete a demo lap on the Le Mans race circuit on Saturday, June 13, 2026, and will be on display in the H2 Village throughout the race week.

 

Click here to read the full press release from Bosch.

Heraeus Precious Metals and VSParticle Sign MOU on Low Iridium PTE Products

On May 19, FCHEA member Heraeus Precious Metals announced that it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with VSParticle to explore VSP’s spark ablation technology to produce next generation Porous Transport Electrodes (PTEs), used in proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis, with lower iridium content. As iridium is one of the scarcest elements, reducing iridium consumption is one of the key challenges in scaling PEM water electrolysis.

 

Click here to read the full press release from VSParticle.

Buses Powered by Ballard Fuel Cells Enter Service in Italy

On May 29, Ballard Power Systems announced that the first tranche of fuel cell buses in Bologna, Italy, are now operating in daily service. Italian public transit operator TPER’s fleet includes ten Urbino 12 buses from Solaris, powered by Ballard Power Systems’ FCmove®-HD 70kW fuel cell engine. Plans include expanding to 127 buses serving the city and its wider metropolitan area. The buses are fueled by an advanced hydrogen refueling station (HRS) at TPER’s Via Battindarno depot.

Source: Ballard

 

Click here for the full blog post from Ballard Power Systems.

BMW Group Begins Pre-Series Production of Key Control Unit

On May 21, FCHEA member BMW Group announced that its BMW Group Plant Landshut has started pre-series production of a key control unit for the company’ new BMW iX5 Hydrogen vehicle.

 

The "Energy Master" is the central control unit of the high-voltage system and can be used in BMW’s battery-electric vehicles and the BMW iX5 Hydrogen, installed on the BMW Hydrogen Flat Storage system. The control unit combines energy and data flows, manages the power supply for the e-machine and on-board electrical system, and ensures safe, intelligent operation of the overall system. This makes it the key interface between the fuel cell system, the innovative high-voltage battery and the electric drive machines.

Source: BMW

 

Click here for the full press release from BMW. 

UK Green Hydrogen Project Utilizing 30 MW of Plug Electrolyzers Achieves Final Investment Decision

On May 20, FCHEA member Plug Power announced that the Barrow Green Hydrogen project in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, in the United Kingdom (UK) has reached final investment decision (FID).

 

Plug is supplying 6 of its 5-megawatt (MW) GenEco™ electrolyzers (30 MW in total) to the project, where Green Hydrogen Energy Company (GHECO), a joint venture between Schroders Greencoat and Carlton Power, will supply green hydrogen o Kimberly-Clark’s manufacturing plant.   

 

Click here to read the full press release from Plug Power.

Hyundai Motor Group Signs Multilateral Agreement to Establish Hydrogen Ecosystem in Hong Kong

On May 18, Hyundai Motor Group announced that it had signed an agreement with key Korean, Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong and French companies to establish a comprehensive hydrogen ecosystem in Hong Kong. The immediate focus will be on developing low-carbon waste-to-hydrogen (W2H) production facilities utilizing Hong Kong’s landfill gas (LFG) resources, as well as initial hydrogen refueling infrastructure to support hydrogen fuel cell buses and airport vehicles. The target date for a self-sustaining hydrogen ecosystem to be fully operational is the end of 2030, with project site confirmation and facility design starting in 2027.

Source: Hyundai Motor Group

 

Click here to read the full press release from Hyundai Motor Group.

AGC FORBLUE™ i-SERIES Adopted in Water Electrolysis Demonstration System 

On May 19, FCHEA member AGC announced that its FORBLUE™ i-SERIES Fluorinated Electrolyte Polymer Dispersion has been adopted as an electrode material for a 5-megawatt (MW) class polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) water electrolysis demonstration system that was jointly developed by Toyota Motor Corporation and Chiyoda Corporation. The system, that used AGC’s FORBLUE™ i-SERIES, was installed at Hydrogen Park at the Toyota Honsha Plant in March 2026, where it will be evaluated under actual operating conditions.

Source: AGC

 

Click here to read the full press release from AGC.  

NEUMAN & ESSER and Graforce Develop Methane Pyrolysis-based System

On May 19, FCHEA member NEUMAN & ESSER announced a partnership with Graforce GmbH to develop methane pyrolyisis-based systems that convert methane-containing gas streams, such as natural gas, flare gas, landfill gas or biogas, into hydrogen, solid carbon and usable industrial heat or syngas. This partnership expands the portfolio of integrated solutions supporting the decarbonization of industrial processes.

Source: NEUMAN & ESSER

 

Click here to read the full press release from NEUMAN & ESSER.

PowerCell Marine Fuel Cell System Recognized as ERI Qualifying Climate Solution

On May 29, the Exponential Roadmap Initiative (ERI) announced the recognition of FCHEA member PowerCell’s Marine System 225 (MS225) as a qualifying climate solution under ERI’s Climate Solutions Framework.

 

To qualify as a climate solution under the framework, a product or service must demonstrate at least 50% lower emissions compared to the current market average. Following a thorough review, independent life cycle assessments showed the PowerCell MS225 significantly outperformed conventional alternatives in the maritime sector:

 

·   Cruise ships: 82% lower carbon footprint

Bulk carriers: 81% lower carbon footprint 

Source: ERI


Click here to read the full press release from ERI.

Additional Links

SunHydrogen Installs Improved Hydrogen Modules at Austin Pilot, With Early Field Performance Consistent with Lab-Validated Modules

SunHydrogen | May 29, 2026

 

Aternium Adds Key Oversight Partner as Delaware Hydrogen Project Moves Closer to Construction

Delaware Live | May 29, 2026

 

AeroDelft completes first hydrogen aircraft taxi test at operational Dutch airport

Aerospace Testing International | May 28, 2026

 

First electrolysers delivered to Air Liquide’s 200MW Port of Rotterdam project

gasworld | May 27, 2026

 

Q&A: Can China turn hydrogen into its next clean-energy industry?

CarbonBrief | May 27, 2026

 

Dongfeng unveils hydrogen truck with 400 kW fuel cell

electrive | May 27, 2026

 

Hydrogen combustion van tested at UCR

Inside UCR | May 27, 2026

 

Leaders meet to secure £500m for hydrogen network

BBC | May 26, 2026

 

A Legislative Pathway for Natural Hydrogen: Nova Scotia’s Subsurface Energy Resource Extraction Act

Cox & Palmer | May 25, 2026

 

Hygreen to deliver electrolyser for WESI green H2 project in Canada

Renewables Now | May 25, 2026

 

Hydrogen exploration in Iowa well underway

Radio Iowa | May 25, 2026


Europe, China Outpace U.S. in Hydrogen Pipeline Development

Industrial Info Resources | May 22, 2026

 

Ballard-powered German FCEB deployments ramp up as city fleets prepare to enter service at scale

Ballard Power Systems | May 21, 2026

 

From political support to competitiveness: Mexico projects renewable hydrogen at US$2/kg in the coming years

Strategic Energy | May 21, 2026

 

Geologic Hydrogen Could Produce Clean Fuel for Less Than $1 Per Kilogram

Oilprice.com | May 21, 2026

 

EU Commission clears $1.5 billion in German state aid for green hydrogen

Reuters | May 20, 2026

 

White hydrogen found in billion-year-old Canadian rock could fuel clean energy production

The Brighter Side of News | May 20, 2026

 

Driving Innovation: How Hydrogen Could Power Formula 1’s Next Era

American Gas Association | May 19, 2026

 

The Role of Hydrogen Fuel Cells in Next-Generation UAV and VTOL Systems

FCHEA | May 18, 2026

 

Germany and Japan bet on BMW and Toyota to make hydrogen cars mainstream

Interesting Engineering | May 18, 2026

 

The Quest for an Elusive Clean Fuel Is Moving Underground

The New York Times | May 17, 2026


eFuels Power Critical Industry and Diversify Onshore Energy Supply

Twelve | May 15, 2026

 

Hydrogen aviation advancing despite slowdown, with SAF leading transition

gasworld | May 15, 2026

 

Unither expands flight envelope of hydrogen-electric helicopter

Vertical Pulse | May 15, 2026

 

China's Hydrogen Strategy: Not Replacement, but Creation

Dr. Xiangshan (David) Ma | May 14, 2026

 

Methanol projects dominate Australia H2 subsidy scheme

Argus Media | May 13, 2026

 

UC Irvine team identifies where renewable hydrogen delivers the greatest social benefit

UC Irvine News | May 12, 2026

 

China unveils hydrogen-powered fuel cell stack for long-range industrial drones

Interesting Engineering | May 12, 2026

 

Fairfax County’s first fuel cell data center proposed in Chantilly

Inside NOVA | May 11, 2026

 

NASA Fuel Cell Tests Pave Way for Energy Storage on Moon

NASA | May 8, 2026

 

Fuel cells: the quiet data center power solution

FuelCell Energy | May 5, 2026

Hydrogen investment appetite rebounds on ‘grounded’ market shift, says law firm

Gasworld | May 6, 2026

 

EU awards over €1 billion to European hydrogen projects to accelerate the clean transition

European Commission | May 6, 2026

 

Green Hydrogen in Europe: Who Stands to Benefit from Nuclear

Factset Insight | May 6, 2026

 

Stony Brook Researchers to Test Hydrogen-Powered System to Advance Clean Energy on Long Island 

Stony Brook University News | May 6, 2026

 

Europe Funds Large-Vessel Hydrogen Project

Marine Link | May 6, 2026

 

CHARBONE Announces the Opening of its First Hub in the United States in Albany, NY

CHARBONE | May 6, 2026

 

Hydrogen Exploration in Iowa Moves Forward Under New State Guidelines

Brownfield | May 5, 2026

 

Powertech Labs Unveils High-Capacity Hydrogen Tube Trailer

ACT News | May 5, 2026

 

Major Semi-Truck Makers Are Switching From Diesel Engines To A New Hybrid Option

BGR | May 4, 2026

 

UT Startup to Scale Hydrogen Fuel Cell Tech with UT Seed Fund Investment

UT News | May 4, 2026

 

Could Hydrogen Be the Future of Energy or Is It All Hot Air?

U.S. Government Accountability Office | April 30, 2026

About the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Connection    


Administration

  

Press releases and story ideas may be forwarded to Connor Dolan and Jennifer Gangi for consideration at cdolan@fchea.org and jgangi@fchea.org respectively.

 

If your company is interested in joining FCHEA, please visit fchea.org or contact Connor Dolan at cdolan@fchea.org.

 

The Sponsor

 

The Fuel Cell & Hydrogen Energy Association (FCHEA) is the national hydrogen industry trade association with a mission to advance the commercial production, distribution and use of hydrogen in the United States and beyond.  FCHEA members represent the full global hydrogen and fuel cell supply chain across a range of applications and pathways from transportation, power generation, industrial use, and more.

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