Hydrogen Gas - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2026-2031)

The Hydrogen Gas Market is expected to grow from 113.86 million tons in 2025 to 117.99 million tons in 2026 and is forecast to reach 140.9 million tons by 2031 at 3.62% CAGR over 2026-2031.

Cost-driven regional competitiveness, government subsidies, and decarbonization mandates are the principal forces shaping the hydrogen gas market, with Japan earmarking USD 20 billion for nationwide infrastructure and the European Union pressing toward a 20% hydrogen blend in natural-gas grids by 2030. Production location and carbon intensity now dictate strategic positioning, pushing producers to co-locate electrolysis or blue-hydrogen facilities near low-cost renewable or natural-gas resources. Emerging export hubs in the Middle East and Australia add a new trade dimension, while the steady rollout of fuel-cell vehicles builds anchor demand that underwrites a wider refueling network.

Global Hydrogen Gas Market Trends and Insights

Demand for Low-Carbon Ammonia Production

Global maritime decarbonization triggers demand for green ammonia, elevating the hydrogen gas market as shippers seek carbon-neutral bunkering solutions. The International Maritime Organization’s 2050 net-zero pledge accelerates producer pivots, with Yara and Engie linking renewable power to fertilizer complexes to safeguard export eligibility in carbon-constrained markets. Competitive advantage now hinges on hydrogen carbon intensity rather than merely feedstock price, injecting long-term structural growth into ammonia-linked hydrogen volumes.

Refinery Desulfurization Regulations

The 2020 IMO sulfur cap and regional fuel-quality standards lifted refinery hydrogen offtake by nearly 15%, anchoring base-load demand in the hydrogen gas market. Heavier crude slates need deeper hydroprocessing, prompting blue-hydrogen investments adjacent to refineries. These captive integration models ensure offtake certainty and streamline carbon-capture economics through shared utilities.

High Cost of Green/Blue H₂ Production

Green hydrogen currently ranges between USD 3 and 8 per kg depending on renewable electricity pricing and electrolyzer performance, outstripping gray alternatives at USD 1-2 per kg. Blue hydrogen narrows the gap but entails carbon-capture costs and regulatory scrutiny. Only premium applications with carbon-pricing compliance can presently absorb these premiums, temporarily limiting widespread uptake across the hydrogen gas market.

Other drivers and restraints analyzed in the detailed report include:

• Government Incentives for Green H₂
• Rising Fuel-Cell Vehicle Rollout
• Expensive Storage and Transport Logistics

Segment Analysis

Pipeline networks captured 58.36% of the hydrogen gas market share in 2025 as large industrial corridors exploit existing right-of-way assets, and this modality is growing at 4.06% CAGR through 2031. The European Hydrogen Backbone’s planned 28,000 km of lines will lower delivered costs by 30-50% relative to road trailers, reinforcing scale economies across the hydrogen gas market. High-pressure tube trailers remain crucial for islanded demand centers and early-stage deployments, while cylinders serve specialized or remote users.

In emerging markets without legacy gas grids, tube-trailer logistics bridge the readiness gap, fostering early adoption despite premium transport costs. As permitting accelerates in Europe and the United States, dedicated hydrogen pipelines will broaden from refining clusters to include steel and chemical plants, providing the backbone required for deeper industrial decarbonization and wider hydrogen gas market reach.

The Hydrogen Gas Market Report is Segmented by Distribution (Pipeline, High-Pressure Tube Trailer, and Cylinder), Application (Ammonia, Methanol, Refining, Direct Reduced Iron, Fuel-Cell Vehicles, and Other Applications), and Geography (Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa). The Market Forecasts are Provided in Terms of Volume (Tons).

Geography Analysis

Asia-Pacific accounted for 34.12% of the hydrogen gas market size in 2025, anchored by China’s heavy-industry uptake, Japan’s hydrogen-society agenda, and South Korea’s fuel-cell power rollouts. China’s carbon-neutrality pledge and pilot hydrogen-steel projects keep regional volumes elevated. Japan’s USD 20 billion public-funding pool accelerates both supply and demand infrastructure, while South Korea’s K-New Deal integrates hydrogen into power and transport goals.

Europe positions hydrogen as a strategic lever for gas-supply diversification under REPowerEU, catalyzing domestic electrolyzer builds and import-terminal investments. Germany leads installed electrolysis capacity, and the Netherlands is remaking Rotterdam into a continental intake hub for global hydrogen shipments. Nordic hydro and wind resources underpin green-hydrogen export ambitions, with Norway exploring pipeline and maritime routes to serve continental demand.

North America leverages ample natural-gas reserves for blue-hydrogen economics while boosting green output under the USD 9.5 billion hydrogen-hubs program. California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard underwrites the world’s largest non-Asian refueling network, and Canada targets export parity with liquefied shipments to Asia. Middle East and Africa score the fastest 4.03% CAGR, led by Saudi Arabia’s NEOM and the UAE’s export road map, stitching together sun-rich renewable resources with scale electrolysis to supply both local industry and overseas consumers.

List of companies covered in this report:

• Aditya Birla Chemicals
• Air Liquide
• Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
• BASF SE
• Equinor ASA
• Gulf Cryo
• Iwatani Corp.
• Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Linde PLC
• MATHESON Tri-Gas, Inc.
• Messer SE & Co. KGaA
• TAIYO NIPPON SANSO CORPORATION

Additional benefits of purchasing this report:

• Access to the market estimate sheet (Excel format)
• 3 months of analyst support