Who pays calls the shots
Every two weeks, I experience a déjà vu. After recording the podcast for The Hydrogen Leader, I sit in the studio, my headphones lying on the table – and I keep asking myself: What are we actually doing here?
I speak with people who are building the global hydrogen industry, like Driss Berraho from ACWA Power in Saudi Arabia. He is planning to supply Europe with green hydrogen on a large scale in just two years, mainly in the form of ammonia. Other companies are planning the same thing in Brazil, Chile, and North Africa.
The world is investing to provide Europe – especially Germany – with green hydrogen. And we are talking about hydrogen being too expensive.
We discuss reports, such as that of the German Federal Audit Office (see article on the right side of this page), which questions the effectiveness of Germany’s hydrogen strategy. We attend trade fairs and reassure ourselves that the sector’s growth is still manageable.
To be honest, something else is on my mind: What we are not doing. We are missing the opportunity that is presenting itself to us. Other countries believe in us. They invest because they trust that Europe – and in particular Germany – is serious about the energy transition. And what are we doing with this trust? Not enough, and that’s to our own detriment. We are not making enough use of our role as the buyer of hydrogen. The customer is king. Every entrepreneur knows this.
Whoever pays, calls the shots – this is not an empty phrase, but a call to action for policymakers.
Industry demands regulatory clarity. Why aren’t we providing it? The more I talk to professionals, the more I am convinced: Without hydrogen, a comprehensive energy transition will not succeed.
If we act now, we will set the rules for tomorrow. This requires not money, but courage. We are already building hydrogen pipelines. We should now also ensure that they are used when completed. So let’s call the shots – now is the time. 
