The US government relaxed some of the strictest criteria for hydrogen producers seeking billions of dollars in tax credits, giving Australian green fuel hopefuls a reprieve after a torrid 2024 curbed their ambitions.

The administration of outgoing US president Joe Biden on Friday (Saturday AEDT) finalised the Congress-approved 45V provisions aimed at reducing the cost for companies to make clean hydrogen. The US hydrogen scheme endured a complex and long-winded review that concluded with the easing of stringent rules on how producers source their energy.