Air Liquide is the first provider to distribute RFNBO-certified renewable hydrogen in Germany
Air Liquide’s electrolyzer in Oberhausen is the first facility in Germany to receive the RFNBO 1 certificate. By labeling the hydrogen from Oberhausen as a renewable fuel, companies can now officially declare it as a greenhouse gas-reducing fuel. In this way, Air Liquide supports its customers, particularly in the mobility and industrial sectors such as refineries and chemicals, in achieving their climate goals.
On April 2, 2025, Air Liquide became the first company in Germany to receive official RFNBO certification , based on the ISCC 2 EU certification scheme, for its 20-megawatt PEM electrolyzer 3 in Oberhausen. This means that the renewable hydrogen produced in Oberhausen can now be traded as such according to official EU standards. At the same time, the gas is labeled as a renewable fuel, and the certificate enables Air Liquide customers, particularly those in the transportation sector, to contribute to the legally required GHG 4 reduction quotas.
Air Liquide’s Trailblazer electrolyzer is located in the heart of the Rhine-Ruhr Basin and was commissioned in 2024. At the end of 2024, three certification schemes (CertifHy, ISCC EU, REDCertEU) were officially recognized by the European Union to issue RFNBO certification. At the beginning of 2025, the German Federal Environment Agency recognized the certification of RFNBOs according to the schemes approved by the Commission. Trailblazer is now the first large-scale electrolyzer in Germany and Europe to receive RFNBO certification, thanks to the support of the independent auditor DEKRA Certification GmbH. The certification now obtained for Air Liquide’s renewable hydrogen calculates the carbon footprint along the entire supply chain, i.e., up to a hydrogen refueling station for mobility customers. The certification forms the basis for the hydrogen to be counted towards GHG quota fulfillment under the 37th Federal Immission Control Ordinance (BImSchV).
Gilles Le Van , Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Air Liquide Deutschland GmbH, says:
Air Liquide continues to break new ground in the renewable hydrogen economy.
“Achieving RFNBO certification for our Trailblazer large-scale plant in Oberhausen is an important milestone. This certification enables us to effectively support our customers in achieving their decarbonization goals and complying with current legislation. We are proud to be able to offer them the necessary GHG quotas and real added value. My sincere thanks go to our dedicated Air Liquide teams, the German Environment Agency for their ongoing cooperation, and DEKRA for their professional and efficient support in achieving this goal. It confirms our principle that together we are indeed stronger.”
1 RFNBO stands for “Renewable fuels of non-biological origin.”
2 International Sustainability & Carbon Certification.
3 Proton exchange membrane electrolyzers (PEM electrolyzers) use electricity to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen through electrolysis.
4 Greenhouse gas.
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Air Liquide is the first provider to distribute RFNBO-certified renewable hydrogen in Germany, source
