Norwegian Hydrogen’s Hellesylt Hydrogen Hub has become the first hydrogen production facility in Norway to receive RFNBO certification, confirming that its renewable hydrogen meets the European Union’s requirements for Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin.
The certification was issued by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) on 31 July 2026. It covers requirements including sustainability, renewable electricity sourcing and traceability throughout the production chain, from the electricity used to the hydrogen delivered to customers.
The milestone gives Norwegian Hydrogen access to European applications and regulated markets where RFNBO compliance is required, an increasingly important consideration as EU rules create specific demand for qualifying renewable hydrogen.
Certification opens access to regulated European hydrogen markets
RFNBO certification is intended to ensure that renewable hydrogen and related fuels comply with EU sustainability and renewable energy criteria. For hydrogen producers, certification can therefore be critical to supplying customers that need qualifying renewable hydrogen to meet regulatory obligations or participate in certain support schemes.
At Hellesylt, Norwegian Hydrogen uses hydropower as the renewable electricity source for hydrogen production. Obtaining certification required the company to demonstrate traceability and documentation across the production process.
As Europe’s hydrogen market develops, this distinction between renewable hydrogen that meets RFNBO requirements and hydrogen that does not is becoming commercially significant. For Norwegian Hydrogen, certification therefore provides more than recognition of the production process: it allows hydrogen from Hellesylt to serve customers whose purchasing decisions are tied to EU regulatory requirements.
“This milestone confirms again that the quality systems and routines we’ve built are robust enough to meet the strictest requirements in Europe,” said Jens Berge, CEO of Norwegian Hydrogen. “It strengthens our position and trust with customers who depend on regulatory compliance, not just supply.”
Norwegian Hydrogen builds on Danish RFNBO experience
The Hellesylt certification follows an earlier milestone for Norwegian Hydrogen in Denmark. In 2024, the company’s Grøn Brint facility received what Norwegian Hydrogen describes as the first RFNBO certificate issued in the industry.
The latest certification extends that experience to Norway and demonstrates that the company has established systems for documenting renewable electricity sourcing and hydrogen production in accordance with the European framework.
Kåre Nerem, Site Manager at Hellesylt, said the certification process required detailed documentation and traceability throughout operations.
“Getting to this point has meant tightening up documentation and traceability across every step of production, from the hydropower we draw on to the hydrogen we deliver,” Nerem said.
Why the milestone matters
The significance of the certification is particularly relevant for Norway’s potential role as a renewable hydrogen supplier to Europe. Producing hydrogen from renewable electricity alone does not automatically make the product RFNBO-compliant under EU rules; producers must also satisfy specific regulatory and traceability requirements.
By achieving certification, Hellesylt Hydrogen Hub can now produce hydrogen recognised under the EU’s RFNBO framework, potentially widening the range of European industrial, mobility and other customers it can serve.
For Norwegian Hydrogen, the milestone consequently strengthens the commercial position of Hellesylt as the European market moves from early hydrogen projects toward a more regulated system in which the origin, production method and certification of renewable hydrogen increasingly determine where and how it can be used.