In order for the sustainable integration of the hydrogen economy to succeed, continuous communication and the exchange of recommendations for action with all stakeholders is extremely important. Particularly after the expiry of the funding measures and market incentive programs, the early involvement of the finance and insurance industry, the accelerated development of standards and quality criteria, and close coordination with market supervisory authorities will be necessary to ensure that sustainable and economically successful business models emerge and the framework conditions for a positive investment climate are created.
This VDE FINANCIAL DIALOGUE is the continuation of the series of events that have been held internationally for over 20 years to support the global energy transition. The focus is not on company presentations or the presentation of political roadmaps, rather, participants were informed about the state of the art in technology, current market developments, interesting practical experiences, and the expectations of the financial and insurance industries. All contributions and the concluding panel discussion with leading industry experts is the basis for the VDE FINANCIAL DIALOGUE whitepaper, which is available via the link below.
Below are some key messages from the event:
1. Hydrogen is a one-of-a-kind technology for all sectors, without an alternative, and holds great potential as a commercialized product.
2. Hydrogen development is not primarily about growth and optimization, but about changing our entire energy system.
3. We need professional analysis methods and reliable statements on price structures.
4. We need transparency and market confidence for bankability and insurability.
5. To achieve this, we need technical criteria and proto-standards that will later become international standards.
6. It's all about people! - The decisive factor is the people who develop their company successfully in the long term.
7. There urgently needs to be concerted action by all stakeholders to train skilled workers so that we can develop and produce products in Europe in the long term.
8. Political leaders must work together with the market participants with priority to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy and legal hurdles.