Hydrogen Mission: Research Boosts the Development of the Hydrogen Economy

Building a high-performance hydrogen infrastructure is one of the key tasks of the energy transition. Germany has a strong initial basis across the entire hydrogen value chain: from excellent, internationally networked basic research, through applied research and innovative companies, to the first large-scale applications. To strengthen this potential, one of the goals within the key technology area of “Fusion and Climate-Neutral Energy Generation” is to promote hydrogen technologies in order to generate, store, and transport clean energy, thereby enabling a climate-friendly and independent energy supply in Germany in the long term. A corresponding roadmap (German only) is already being developed.

However, ensuring that hydrogen can be used safely and reliably in the future requires more than just technological innovations. Equally crucial are reliable planning frameworks and uniform technical rules and standards. The two research projects, “Portal Green II” (German only) and “Standardization Roadmap for Hydrogen Technologies” (German ony) provide practical guidance for planning complex hydrogen infrastructures. Both projects were funded as part of the German federal government’s 7th Energy Research Program.

Guidelines for Greater Clarity in Building Hydrogen Infrastructure

The “Portal Green II” project supports experts in building hydrogen infrastructure with five practical guidelines. These provide guidance on key issues related to permitting, planning, construction, and operation of hydrogen networks and power-to-gas facilities. The guides clarify procedures, legal frameworks, and technical requirements, thereby supporting network operators, government agencies, and industry players across the value chain.

The guides are supplemented by an interactive feed-in map that highlights ongoing, planned, and completed hydrogen feed-in projects in Germany. This map facilitates collaboration among stakeholders and provides transparency regarding infrastructure expansion.

Standardization Roadmap for Greater Safety and Efficiency

The “Hydrogen Technologies Standardization Roadmap” project produced a comprehensive overview that maps the current state of standardization and its development. Standards provide investment certainty and reduce development costs by offering a uniform technical foundation. The introduction of standards thus leads to greater efficiency and safety. More than 700 experts contributed to the roadmap. The result includes an inventory of existing regulatory frameworks, a needs analysis with over 300 recommendations for action, and specific national and international implementation projects.

Since standards are continuously evolving, the follow-up project, “Standardization Roadmap for Hydrogen Derivatives and Technologies,” was launched in 2026. It is part of the “Hydrogen Mission” under the 8th Energy Research Program of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) (German only). The project broadens the focus to include regulations that do not yet address hydrogen. A revision of the existing regulatory framework is also planned.

Experts in the hydrogen industry—such as project developers, municipalities, grid and plant operators, and government agencies—will benefit from the research findings of both projects. In this way, they are making an important contribution to the development of a safe and efficient hydrogen economy in Germany.

Development of a Hydrogen Roadmap

In line with the goals of the High-Tech Agenda Germany (HTAD), work is currently underway to develop a hydrogen roadmap (German only), which is scheduled to be released at the 2027 HTAD Summit. The goal is to further expand technological strengths, address existing challenges in a targeted manner, and accelerate the transition of innovations into practical application. Hydrogen, as a mobile energy storage solution for industry and transportation, is also listed as a key application area in the roadmap for the key technology “Fusion and Climate-Neutral Energy Generation.”.

Further Information:

• Project participants in “Portal Green II”
• Project participants in the “Standardization Roadmap for Hydrogen Technologies”
• Project “Standardization Roadmap for Hydrogen Derivatives and Technologies”