Green-e® Renewable Hydrogen Draft - Survey for Second Stakeholder Comment Period

Second Public Stakeholder Comment Period for Renewable Hydrogen Criteria in the Green-e® Renewable Fuels Program: Renewable Hydrogen update to the Green-e® Renewable Fuels Standard, Version 1.1 - Public Comment Period Released January 20, 2025

Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) is a nonprofit that creates policy and market solutions to advance sustainable energy. CRS seeks feedback on the proposed Renewable Hydrogen update to the Green-e® Renewable Fuels Standard (the "Standard"), which provides requirements for renewable fuel production and sales of Green-e® certified renewable fuels products.

CRS staff held the first of two public stakeholder comment periods for the draft of a standard update which will incorporate renewable hydrogen into the program. The first comment period closed on August 31, 2025 and the comments that CRS has received have been taken into consideration and updates to the draft have been made accordingly. CRS is seeking comments and feedback on the second draft of the renewable hydrogen rules and aims to release a final version of the Standard update in Q2 2026. The second comment period will be open for 45 days.

For general background on the Renewable Fuels Standard, please visit https://www.green-e.org/programs/renewable-fuels (opens in a new window). You can also review the Terms of Reference ("TOR") for more information on the goals and impacts of the Standard, and a needs assessment for Green-e® certification in the renewable fuels markets.

The purpose of the renewable hydrogen update to the Green-e® Renewable Fuels Standard is to establish criteria and processes for the purchase, sale, and use of renewable hydrogen and associated environmental attributes in the voluntary renewable fuels market. These requirements will be implemented through the Green-e® Renewable Fuels certification program, which provides assurances of accuracy, transparency, and environmental quality. The ultimate objective is to accelerate the replacement of fossil fuels with renewable fuels, while ensuring that such fuels come from sustainable renewable resources and meet high environmental standards, and that users are protected in their purchase and ability to make verifiable usage claims.

The renewable hydrogen criteria will be applicable to producers, buyers, and sellers of renewable hydrogen, including large consumers purchasing renewable hydrogen directly from producers. The Standard and certification program may also be used to guide the creation of renewable hydrogen product offerings and to support marketing claims related to their use.

Feedback on the Renewable Hydrogen update to the Standard will be accepted until 11:59pm Pacific Time on March 6, 2025. You may submit feedback through the survey or by emailing written comments to comments@green-e.org using the subject "Renewable Fuel Standard Comments." If you are submitting written comments, please review the survey PDF for the specific questions on which we are seeking detailed feedback. Comments are also welcome on any part of the Standard.

CRS will use feedback from this comment period to create a version of the Standard that includes renewable hydrogen criteria that will be voted on by the Green-e Governance Board.