Hydrogen: Europe's last way out of the energy trap

Hydrogen is one of the most important keys to strategic independence from foreign energy supplies. But is an expansion of the hydrogen economy realistic?

The crisis surrounding Iran has once again demonstrated that independence from foreign energy supplies must be one of Germany's and Europe's most important strategic goals for the near future. Approximately five to eight percent of the EU's daily oil needs are transported through the Strait of Hormuz. For LNG, the figure is 13 percent. While the EU can compensate for a shortfall of more than a year thanks to its reserves, this is of course not a permanent solution.

Hydrogen is therefore far more than a technical gimmick for energy policy think tanks. It is the key to something Europe has sorely lacked for years: energy independence.

The planned hydrogen core network will create a backbone of over 9,000 kilometers of pipelines in Germany by 2032, two-thirds of which will be built by converting existing natural gas infrastructure. In parallel, the Federal Network Agency is planning an innovative financing model: Companies will contribute to the costs through a moderate network usage fee of €25 per kWh. It sounds bureaucratic, but it's nothing less than a pragmatic way to transition away from fossil fuel dependence.

Because the real lever lies not in the pipeline itself—but in what flows through it. Green hydrogen , produced from surplus wind or solar power, is the only realistic lever for making steel mills, chemical plants, and cement factories climate-neutral. These industries cannot simply be electrified.

And this is precisely where Europe's great opportunity lies: Instead of listening to short-term market logic, it's about long-term strategic resilience. By building a cross-border grid – from Portugal to Finland, from North Africa to the industrial centers of North Rhine-Westphalia – an energy network will emerge that replaces fossil fuel dependence with technological sovereignty.

Of course, much is still in its early stages. Importing green hydrogen from countries like Morocco, Egypt, or Australia is a logistical and political challenge. The pipeline corridors – such as the "South H2 Corridor" project – are ambitious but have not yet been built. And the question of how to operate electrolyzers profitably in Europe remains open.

In general, financing the expensive infrastructure remains a point of contention. EU member states are already groaning under high levels of debt, and the costs of building a hydrogen infrastructure are high. But the alternative would be to continue to depend on energy supplies from Arab countries or the United States. Which, given the geopolitical changes of recent years, is not a good idea.

The EU is now investing billions in funding for production facilities and infrastructure , planning a transnational backbone of over 50,000 kilometers by 2040, and, with the "Hydrogen Bank" model, has created a platform for the first time to prepare green hydrogen projects for a functioning internal market. This is what is needed to lay the foundations for companies to invest in hydrogen in the first place.

This presents enormous opportunities for startups. Those who develop intelligent grid management, flexible billing systems, or integrated energy and storage solutions today can become market leaders tomorrow. Imports are also becoming a business model: Companies that professionally manage the logistics, certification, and distribution of LOHC (liquid organic hydrogen carriers) or ammonia could become the hydrogen equivalent of tanker fleets or pipeline lobbies.

Because the truth is: The next phase of the energy and mobility transition won't be achieved with batteries. It will be achieved with molecules, pressurized tanks, transport routes – and visionary business models. Hydrogen isn't the solution for everything. But it's for quite a lot. Especially for what was previously considered "unsolvable." It's the first major energy technology in which Europe is shaping from the very beginning, rather than lagging behind.