Connecting the Hydrogen Value Chain: Insights from Hamburg 2025
The Hydrogen & Carbon Capture Expo in Hamburg brought together global players shaping the future of clean energy, from electrolyser manufacturers and carbon capture innovators to policymakers and developers. The tone of the event reflected a clear maturity within the sector: less hype, more direction. Conversations focused on commercialisation, systems integration, and long-term delivery.
Brightsmith’s team on the ground, Hetty Lowther and Jake Salem, shared insights that capture this evolution and highlight what it means for the future of hydrogen in Europe.
The return of momentum
After a cautious first half of the year, confidence appears to be returning across the hydrogen value chain. Jake noted that “many businesses are starting to regain momentum and an understanding of long-term strategy and what that looks like for them.”
That shift was evident across discussions in Hamburg. Projects worth around US $110 billion are progressing globally, with many moving from tender to final investment decision. The mood has changed from uncertainty to execution. Companies are thinking less about whether projects will happen, and more about how they can make them commercially sustainable.
Still, that progress depends on decisive political alignment. “Regulatory and political stances are becoming more clear,” Jake said, “but there is a need for more decisive behaviour to ensure we meet our shared net zero goals.”
In short: the frameworks are emerging, but the market is waiting for stronger follow-through.
A more connected value chain
One of the clearest shifts this year was the disappearance of silos. Hydrogen was no longer discussed as a single technology, it was part of a much wider conversation about complete energy systems.
Hetty observed that this year’s dialogue was “less about production and more about how hydrogen fits into everything else, infrastructure, storage, downstream uses like e-fuels and ammonia, and its role across mobility and heavy industry.”
That systems view marks an important turning point. It reflects the industry’s recognition that standalone pilot projects won’t drive transformation at scale. To succeed, hydrogen must plug seamlessly into the broader decarbonisation ecosystem, connecting renewable generation, grid infrastructure, and industrial demand.
Regional hubs take the lead
If last year was about technology, this year was about geography. Regional hydrogen hubs dominated conversation, showing how collaboration and clustering can unlock scale.
The Hamburg region’s plan to convert the Moorburg coal plant into a green hydrogen hub was a prime example. Once a symbol of fossil energy, Moorburg will soon anchor a new ecosystem linking production, storage, transport, and offtake. Hetty described this shift as emblematic of where momentum is building: “It’s clear that collaboration and infrastructure clustering are shaping the next phase of hydrogen development.”
Across Europe, similar projects, from Norway’s liquid hydrogen corridors to Sweden’s industrial hubs, are creating blueprints for replicable, connected hydrogen economies.
From engineering to economics
A second theme running through Hamburg was the focus on how electrolysers operate, not just where they are built. Efficiency, adaptability, and cost are now front and centre.
Hetty summed up the mood: “The question is shifting from ‘can we build it?’ to ‘can we operate it profitably and flexibly?’”
This evolution mirrors what Brightsmith sees in the market: the strongest players are those combining technical depth with commercial pragmatism. As renewable input prices fluctuate, operating models that balance energy cost, flexibility, and output efficiency will define who stays competitive. Profitability is becoming as critical a differentiator as innovation.
Building an ecosystem, not an asset
While excitement for hydrogen production remains strong, there’s growing realism about what it takes to make it work. A single technology cannot build an economy, it needs infrastructure, logistics, and demand moving in sync.
Conversations in Hamburg consistently reinforced this. The most forward-thinking participants spoke less about megawatts and more about systems: integrated supply chains, storage infrastructure, distribution networks, and offtake security.
As Hetty pointed out, “The real challenge, and opportunity, lies in creating resilient, interconnected supply chains that can handle scale, reliability, and cost-effectiveness.”
For Brightsmith, this approach defines the leaders worth watching, and the kind of talent we’re helping our clients attract. Those who think in systems rather than silos are the ones shaping the future.
The policy equation
No discussion in Hamburg was complete without one recurring point: technology cannot move faster than policy. Clearer frameworks, predictable incentives, and long-term offtake mechanisms remain the missing pieces.
Even the most advanced projects depend on consistent regulation to reach commercial maturity. Hetty summarised it well: “Without offtake certainty and consistent regulation, even the most advanced projects will struggle to reach commercial maturity.”
Jake echoed the same sentiment, highlighting that regulation may be clearer, but not yet decisive enough. The industry is ready, it just needs the right market signals.
Signs of progress
Despite a quieter show floor, innovation was far from absent. Several announcements underscored real momentum:
Hystar, Lhyfe and Euromekanik AB unveiled their partnership on two large-scale green hydrogen projects in Sweden, combining production expertise with systems integration.
Gen2 Energy signed an MoU with MB Energy to establish a liquid hydrogen supply chain linking Norway and Germany.
SunGreenH2 and HydoTech signed an MoU accelerating the adoption of cost-effective, scalable green hydrogen solutions worldwide.
Each development reinforces a broader truth: Europe’s hydrogen future will be built on partnerships that bridge technology, geography, and market need.
Carbon capture on the move
Carbon capture also drew strong attention, with technologies like DACMA GmbH’s offshore project, reportedly operating on the world’s first floating hydrogen power plant, showing the growing overlap between carbon management and hydrogen production.
As Jake put it, “Carbon Capture is advancing. The industry is moving in the right direction, and it was a pleasure as always meeting new and existing members of our communities and networks in person.”
The conversation between hydrogen and carbon capture is deepening, signalling a move toward integrated decarbonisation pathways rather than competing technologies.
Where the conversation goes next
The overall tone of the expo was quieter, as Hetty observed, but more focused. In many ways, that’s a sign of progress. The noise of early-stage hype has given way to substance, discussions grounded in economics, infrastructure, and systems.
For Brightsmith, this shift confirms what we see daily in our work: hydrogen is moving from exploration to execution. The next stage of growth depends not just on capital or policy, but on people, the leaders capable of translating complexity into collaboration, and strategy into delivery.
Hydrogen’s story is no longer about potential. It’s about performance. And that’s where the right talent makes all the difference.
