The Romanian parliament has recently adopted a new law on the integration of hydrogen from renewable and low-carbon sources in the industry and transport sectors. The long awaited Hydrogen Law establishes obligations on fuel suppliers to provide fuels from renewable sources and sets minimum percentages of hydrogen from renewable sources in fuel used in Romania.

The priority of the Hydrogen Law is to increase the country’s energy production capacity and to strengthen Romania’s energy security, thus achieving the targets set by Romania’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) for regulating the hydrogen market in Romania.

According to the Hydrogen Law, the fuel suppliers must ensure until 2030 that the energy value from the amount of non-biological renewable fuels supplied to the market in Romania and used in the transport sector during one year is at least equal to 5% of the energy content of all fuels supplied for consumption or market use in Romania.

In addition, each fuel supplier is obliged to ensure that the energy value from the amount of non-biological renewable fuels and electricity from renewable sources used for electro-mobility supplied on the market in Romania and used in the transport sector in the period for 2024 to 2029 is the following percentages of energy content of all fuels placed on the market in Romania in that year:

at least equal to 0% in 2024;
0.5% in 2025;
1% in 2026;
2% in 2027;
3% in 2028;
4.5% in 2029.
Not complying with these targets will result in a fine calculated by multiplying each megajoule (MJ) of fuel from non-biological renewable sources not achieved to reach minimum percentages with a value established by a government decision that cannot be less than RON 0.25 per MJ.