This European Commission is engaged in shaping the final provisions of the upcoming renewable energy directive. France is pressing to include hydrogen produced in nuclear facilities in the renewable standards, while Spain and Germany push back by arguing that nuclear hydrogen should be recognized as low-carbon but not green energy. The dispute between these nations has reached a pause in the current week, highlighted by discussions between the French ambassador Jean-Michel House and Teresa Ribera, Spain’s third vice president and minister for Ecological Transition, about the future of the hydraulic link between Barcelona and Marseille.
In the same week, France tied the construction of this hydro canal to continuous cross-border flow, allowing movement in both directions between Spain and Germany. Ribera acknowledged that some statements have been provocative, and she suggested she would prefer a clearer stance from all parties. Journalists at an energy forum hosted by IESE raised questions on Tuesday, and Ribera noted that the conversation still includes disagreements about how the canal should be described and managed.
Earlier, the European Commission opened a narrow path for considering renewable energy produced through nuclear means, proposing a devolved framework that would require approval by the European Parliament and the Council. The plan maintains specific green hydrogen criteria that limit what can be labeled as green, defining the standard by emissions: hydrogen with a lifecycle carbon footprint under 18 grams of CO2 per megawatt hour, a benchmark used by some nations including Sweden and France. Under the proposal, France’s request to label such hydrogen as green would be acknowledged under its current criteria.
One point of contention involves the European market obligations for France to generate renewable energy via the electricity grid, which is heavily powered by nuclear energy. France would still need to secure power purchase and sale agreements for a corresponding amount of renewable output. In addition, producing hydrogen directly from a nuclear plant, sometimes called pink hydrogen, would not be categorized as green hydrogen.
Some observers describe the stance as pragmatic, acknowledging a place for low carbon hydrogen while warning against misclassifying non-renewable hydrogen as renewable. Such a move could distort long-term investments in renewable energy. The debate is ongoing as negotiators look to what will be included in the renewable energy directive, with the goal of equitable treatment for wind and solar power alongside nuclear energy.
Ribera reiterated that France supports hydrogen production with nuclear power, and she made clear that this approach has its supporters in the Spanish government as well. She also stressed that nuclear-derived hydrogen should have a recognized role in the broader framework of hydrogen regulation and gas directives, while not being designated as renewable. Spain does not deny that renewable and nuclear hydrogen could share infrastructure, but it emphasizes the essential distinction between categories.
Spain calls for a calm approach in negotiations, noting that the evolving framework will reflect the positions of each country. The current balance concerns how the Iberian hydrogen export strategy aligns with northern European energy goals, and whether green hydrogen should dominate future investments. The project remains under technical development as negotiators work toward a shared understanding that balances energy security, environmental objectives, and market competitiveness, while ensuring that rules do not undermine renewable energy expansion in the long term.