Hydrogen hubs market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 15.2% during the forecast period (2024-2031). The growing adoption of hydrogen hubs in refining and industrial sectors is the key factor supporting the market growth globally. The growth is primarily owing to the rising demand for green hydrogen for mobility in industrial applications in recent years. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the global hydrogen demand reached 95 Metric Ton (M) in 2022, almost 3.0% more than in 2021. Apart from this, the need for hydrogen is mainly found in conventional applications of the industrial and refining sectors (such as chemicals and natural gas-based Direct Iron Reduction [DRI]). The market players are also investing heavily in hydrogen hub solutions that further bolsters the market growth. For instance, in June 2022, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. invested approximately $500 million to build, own, and operate a 35 MT/ day facility to distribute and dispense liquid hydrogen along with producing green liquid hydrogen at a greenfield site in Massena, New York.

Segmental Outlook 

The global hydrogen hubs market is segmented on the industry and end-users. Based on the industry, the market is sub-segmented into automotive, aviation, marine, and others (space and defense). Further, based on end-users, the market is bifurcated into liquid hydrogen and hydrogen fuel cells. Among the industry, the automotive sub-segment is anticipated to hold a considerable share of the market owing to the rise in the supply and utilization of hydrogen and hydrogen fuel cell stacks within hubs.

The Hydrogen Fuel Cell Sub-Segment is Anticipated to Hold a Considerable Share of the Global Hydrogen Hubs Market

Among the end-users, the hydrogen fuel cell sub-segment is expected to hold a considerable share of the global hydrogen hubs market. The segmental growth is attributed to the increasing adoption of hydrogen fuel cells in commercial vehicles. The increasing awareness of fuel cell bus benefits, such as range, refueling time, operational practices akin to diesel, and scalable infrastructure, is proven by the commercial success of hydrogen-powered fuel cell buses globally. Hence, several organizations are inclined towards investing in hydrogen fuel cells aiming to cater commercial vehicle sector globally. For instance, in November 2023, Ballard Power Systems ordered 62 hydrogen fuel cell engines to power Solaris buses in Europe. The company expects delivery of the majority of the fuel cell engines to occur in 2024.

Regional Outlook

The global hydrogen hubs market is further segmented based on geography including North America (the US, and Canada), Europe (UK, Italy, Spain, Germany, France, and the Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (India, China, Japan, South Korea, and Rest of Asia), and the Rest of the World (the Middle East & Africa, and Latin America). Among these, Asia-Pacific is anticipated to hold a prominent share of the market across the globe, owing to the reduced reliance on fossil fuels and increased demand in stationary and transportation energy sectors.

Global Hydrogen Hubs Market Growth, by Region 2024-2031

The North America Region is Expected to Grow at a Significant CAGR in the Global Hydrogen Hubs Market

Among all regions, the North American region is anticipated to grow at a considerable CAGR over the forecast period. Regional growth is attributed to the increasing adoption of different decarbonized sectors and industrial processes, such as heavy-duty transportation and chemical, steel, and cement manufacturing. Additionally, there is a significant increase in government investments in hydrogen infrastructure, which is further driving the regional market growth. For instance, in October 2023, the US Government announced regional clean hydrogen hubs to drive clean manufacturing and jobs. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will provide $7.0 billion in funding to seven regional clean hydrogen centers to speed the development of the domestic clean hydrogen industry. Approximately, two-thirds of the project's entire investment is dedicated to green manufacturing in the hubs, specifically production based on electrolysis.

Market Players Outlook

The major companies serving the global hydrogen hubs market include Air Liquide S.A., Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Ballard Power Systems Inc., Linde plc., Siemens AG, and others. The market players are considerably contributing to the market growth by the adoption of various strategies including mergers and acquisitions, partnerships, collaborations, funding, and new product launches, to stay competitive in the market. For instance, in March 2022, ENEOS, Toyota, and Woven Planet collaborated to facilitate CO2-free hydrogen production and usage for Woven City and Beyond. The ENEOS hydrogen refueling station is scheduled to begin operations before the opening of Woven City in 2024-2025.

The Report Covers

• Market value data analysis of 2023 and forecast to 2031.
• Annualized market revenues ($ million) for each market segment.
• Country-wise analysis of major geographical regions.
• Key companies operating in the global hydrogen hubs market. Based on the availability of data, information related to new product launches, and relevant news is also available in the report.
• Analysis of business strategies by identifying the key market segments positioned for strong growth in the future.
• Analysis of market-entry and market expansion strategies.
• Competitive strategies by identifying ‘who-stands-where’ in the market.