Global clean hydrogen projects
Figure: Global clean hydrogen projects by project status
Source: Hydrogen Council & McKinsey Project & Investment Tracker, as of December 2020, May 2022, May 2024 and July 2025
The global hydrogen sector is evolving, and this image from the Global Hydrogen Compass 2025, published by Hydrogen Council, illustrates the current landscape.
✅ Key Takeaways:
📌 The clean hydrogen project pipeline now includes 1,749 projects, of which 510 are committed —meaning they have taken FID, started construction, or begun operation. Over 80 projects were added in the past year.
📌 The overall hydrogen project pipeline has grown 7.5 times since 2020, with 214 net new projects added since May 2024, despite a slowdown in announcements.
📌 Europe leads in the number of projects with commercial operation dates (CODs) by 2030, followed by North America and China.
📌 Around 70% of committed projects are renewable, with just under half located in Europe.
📌 While Europe focuses on developing infrastructure and demand centers for an import-oriented hydrogen industry, China’s renewable projects are on average 10 times larger.
📌 A higher share of Chinese projects (50%) are already FID+ compared to Europe (30%) and North America (35%). Early-stage projects in China may be undercounted due to lower public visibility.