Hydrogen Fuel Cells Find Power as Transport Lags

As hydrogen transport moves slowly, fuel cell firms chase faster wins in stationary power, with PowerCell signaling a broader industry reset

19 Jan 2026

Europe’s hydrogen fuel cell industry is learning to be pragmatic. After years of betting on trucks and buses, momentum is now coming from a quieter corner of the market: stationary power.

The shift is driven by timing. Heavy transport still hinges on refueling networks, hydrogen supply, and long fleet buying cycles. Those pieces are advancing, but unevenly. By contrast, power users with urgent reliability needs can decide now.

PowerCell offers a clear example. The Swedish company has rolled out its first products aimed squarely at power generation, targeting what it calls mission critical uses. The phrase matters. Data centers, industrial sites, and infrastructure operators care less about novelty and more about certainty. Downtime is costly, and fuel cells promise steady power with lower emissions than diesel backup systems.

Stationary power also frees customers from waiting on national hydrogen strategies to mature. A factory or data hub can justify fuel cells on resilience and decarbonization alone, without betting on future truck corridors or public refueling stations.

Recent orders underline that logic. PowerCell secured a deal linked to an EU funded clean power project in Greece, working with Zeppelin Power Systems. Public funding helped unlock the project, but the pull came from real demand on the ground. That pattern is becoming familiar across Europe.

Industry watchers say this is not a one off pivot. It reflects a wider reset as suppliers look for faster routes to revenue. Stationary projects can be deployed sooner, generate cash earlier, and build the operating track records that investors want to see.

Competition, however, is intensifying. Companies like Bloom Energy already have a strong foothold in stationary fuel cells. New entrants must prove reliability, scale production, and offer credible service support to win repeat business.

Obstacles remain. Hydrogen pricing is volatile, permitting can be slow, and batteries or grid upgrades often compete for the same budgets. Still, the turn toward power suggests the sector is maturing. Instead of waiting for transport dreams to arrive, fuel cell makers are following the demand that exists today.