"The hydrogen ramp-up is in full swing," said Dr Thomas Gößmann, Chairman of the Management Board of Thyssengas GmbH, opening the event. The official starting signal was given with the confirmation of the H2 core network in October 2024 - since then, the transmission system operators have been officially working on building the infrastructure. New projects, partnerships and visible progress are being created along the entire value chain. "We're no longer talking about visions - we're talking about implementation."
Nevertheless, the ramp-up remains fragile. Gößmann spoke of an area of tension between new beginnings and uncertainty. Although a lot is moving, the necessary speed is lacking. The reason: supply, demand and infrastructure are not harmonised.
- In many places, it is unclear where hydrogen will come from in sufficient quantities and at competitive prices.
- The industry is hesitating due to a lack of planning security and economic prospects.
- Without binding acceptance, grid expansion remains a balancing act: a grid that is too large would cause unnecessary costs, while one that is too small could slow down the market ramp-up.
"We are currently experiencing a standstill due to a lack of synchronisation," warned Gößmann. "The ramp-up will only work if all the gears mesh."
What is needed now are investment-friendly framework conditions, clear political impetus and a resilient hydrogen supply - secured by international imports and targeted promotion of domestic production.
No ramp-up without demand - why a clear commitment is needed now
In her keynote speech,Dr Sopna Sury, COO of RWE Generation SE, called in particular for more commitment on the customer side. Anyone who wants to use hydrogen must specify concrete requirements. The contract negotiated by RWE with TotalEnergies is a pioneer for how supply and demand can come together in concrete terms. "Without demand, there is no hydrogen economy. Many potential customers are behaving like shy deer - understandable given the unclear framework conditions. And yet we now need a clear commitment," says Sury. Politicians are also called upon to do this. Reducing overregulation could help to reduce costs, for example by making the production criteria of the delegated act less strict and continuing the national grid fee exemption.
H2 infrastructure: the core network is the motorway - now we need off-ramps
Jan Eisenberg, Head of Network Partners and Technical Contracts, and Dr David Janoschka, Hydrogen Strategy Officer at Thyssengas, explained how future customers can be connected to the hydrogen core network. Their message: the core network alone does not create a market. The core network pipelines, comparable to motorways, must be supplemented by regional connections in order to make hydrogen usable across the board. "This is exactly where our work at Thyssengas comes in - we build the off-ramps," says Eisenberg.
With a structured customer journey, Thyssengas wants to support potential customers early on in the connection process - from the initial discussion to the final acceptance. "If you want to rely on hydrogen in the future, you shouldn't wait for the pipeline to be ready on your doorstep," appealed Janoschka. Early planning is crucial, even if the utilisation is only to be realised in a few years' time.
In addition to network expansion, Thyssengas also believes that a market-driven environment is needed: planning security, a reliable booking system, targeted funding - and openness to bridging technologies such as biomethane or blue hydrogen.
Three perspectives, one goal: accelerating the H2 ramp-up
In a moderated interview round, Fabian Weber, Hydrogen Marketing, Equinor, Axel Pompe, Head of Business Unit Energy, Currenta, and Wilfried Klein, Director Net Zero Infrastructure & Cluster Development Europe, LyondellBasell, contributed their perspectives along the H2 value chain.
Weber emphasised that the producer side was ready to invest - but without binding purchase agreements, projects would remain on hold. Planning security and reliable business models are needed to get production capacities up and running.
Pompe explained that Currenta is already taking concrete measures - such as the technical preparations for converting its own plants and the planned grid connection. However, the biggest hurdle remains the price: hydrogen is currently still too expensive and the industry cannot close the resulting profitability gap on its own. Klein added that the industry is ready to pick up the pace - but without a secure demand on the end customer side, there is no economic incentive. The markets for low-carbon products are still in their infancy and there is hardly any willingness to pay.
Their joint appeal: a functioning overall system can only be created if generation, purchase and infrastructure are coordinated in a targeted manner. A binding framework is needed that clearly regulates responsibilities, secures investments - and turns parallel developments into a coordinated movement.
Closing the cost gap - so that the market works
For Dr Julian Reul, Programme Lead at the H2Global Foundation, one thing is clear: the key hurdle in the ramp-up is the price. As long as green hydrogen remains significantly more expensive than fossil alternatives, there will be a lack of investment incentives. Targeted market mechanisms are therefore crucial - from more price transparency to instruments that close the financing gap. Reul also emphasised the importance of functioning import logistics: the hydrogen comes via the ports, but is needed in the industrial hinterland - this connection must be successful, otherwise the market will falter.
Final discussion: ramp-up needs leadership - and cooperation
There was unanimous agreement in the concluding panel discussion: the H2 ramp-up has begun - now it needs political pace, economic clarity and institutional coordination.
Dr Thomas Gößmann, Chairman of the Management Board of Thyssengas GmbH, posed the key question: "At what cost can the industry now achieve the greatest CO2 reduction?" This is precisely where politics must come in. Political tailwind is also crucial for the transmission system operators - especially when it comes to authorisation procedures and a reliable financing framework.
Nina Scholz, Country Manager Germany, Equinor, picked up the ball - and called for clear priorities from the German government: "My wish for the German government: an honest stocktaking. What is the problem? Why are no FIDs being realised? It's mainly the cost gap and the regulatory hurdles - particularly at EU level. These uncertainties need to be removed. This requires a clear German position in Brussels and dialogue with industry and business."
Hans Gennen, Chief Operating Officer, Currenta, also confirmed this from an industry perspective: "What is the financial equivalent of reduced CO2 emissions?" The answer must now come in the form of concrete political measures. "This is precisely why we now need speed and a clear political framework. We are currently working on both CCS and hydrogen - but without clarity, it will be difficult to move forward."
Michael Theben, Head of the Climate Protection Department at the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, argued in favour of clear guidelines: "The state government launched a comprehensive carbon management strategy at an early stage. At the centre of this is the question of how we can efficiently avoid the production of CO2. Capture and storage - CCS - is an important step on the way to climate neutrality in industrial processes where CO2 is generated as a result of the process, for example in the lime and cement industries and in waste management, and where the avoidance costs are very high. " For him, it is clear that framework conditions are needed that harmonise CCS and the hydrogen ramp-up in the best possible way so that there are no lock-in effects for transition technologies. The federal government must set this direction.
Dr Rafael Gralla, Head of Network Development Hydrogen/Gas Transport Networks, Federal Network Agency, also called for more initiative on the part of companies: "Network expansion takes time - and the market is moving in the meantime. It is therefore clear that companies must actively approach network operators." The development of an efficient infrastructure is a dynamic process - and requires co-design on all sides.
Finally, Wilfried Klein, Director Net Zero Infrastructure, LyondellBasell, looked to the future: "For the Thyssengas Dialogue 2026, I expect quick decisions, stable framework conditions - and clear concepts for establishing lead markets in the chemical industry."
The conclusion: the ramp-up is not a sure-fire success - it needs direction, the courage to make decisions and the cooperation of all players.
The fourth edition of the Thyssengas Dialogue was recorded and is available in full length for all interested parties: www.thyssengasdialog.com
About Thyssengas
Thyssengas GmbH is a German transmission system operator. The company, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2021, is headquartered in Dortmund. Thyssengas operates a gas network around 4,400 kilometres long - mostly in North Rhine-Westphalia, but also with individual pipelines in Lower Saxony. It supplies downstream distribution network operators as well as industrial companies and power plants. Thyssengas is focussing on hydrogen as a gaseous energy source for a climate-neutral future. The Dortmund-based network operator is involved in numerous initiatives to this end. At the same time, it is making targeted investments in the conversion of its pipeline system to enable a rapid hydrogen ramp-up as part of the energy transition. The company currently employs around 550 people at eight locations in the grid area, and the number is rising.