Exchange between Germany and Japan on standards and norms in the global hydrogen market ramp-up
Hydrogen as an energy carrier, storage medium and element of sector coupling is a fundamental element for the transformation to a decarbonized economy. The collaborative project “Standardization Roadmap for Hydrogen Technologies”, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), is supporting the hydrogen market ramp-up and helping to establish a corresponding quality infrastructure for hydrogen technologies. Technical regulations thus creating a uniform understanding across disciplinary boundaries, thereby supporting legally compliant action and forming the basis for sound economic investments in global trade.
Through close cooperation with international standards bodies and owing to its contribution to a global standardization framework, the three-year project, launched in January 2023 with experts from business, politics, science, and civil society, has quickly attracted international attention. In response, the Japan Hydrogen Value Chain Promotion Council (JH2A) decided to conduct a survey on Germany’s Standardization Roadmap for Hydrogen Technologies with the aim of exchanging information and ensuring consistency of Japanese standards with international standardization efforts.
The Japan Hydrogen Value Chain Promotion Council (JH2A), established in 2020 and incorporated as a non-profit organization in 2022, is a cross-industry, all-Japan organization aiming for the early realization of a hydrogen society. Its members, including energy, automotive and financing industries engage in activities such as the implementation of projects, policy recommendations, the promotion of deregulation and investments. By the end of 2025 the association had 526 members and is steadily expanding its network. The Japanese economy relies heavily on imports for its primary energy supply, making energy security an extremely important issue. Therefore, building a hydrogen and ammonia value chain is central to Japan’s hydrogen strategy in order to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
trade@messe was commissioned to conduct research on the structure and interrelationships of German and international standardization organizations, as well as standardization projects in the key areas of power generation, infrastructure, applications, high-quality infrastructure, training, safety, and certification, and to gather information on standardization activities. The results of this research and analysis will provide a useful foundation for further proactive participation in specific projects of international standardization organizations.
