Hydrogen trade faces certification challenge
Standard definition for green hydrogen crucial to support trading and investment, panellists say
A lack of consistency in the definition of green hydrogen across different countries and regions threatens to hamper the development of global trade and investment in the fuel, according to speakers at this week’s First Element conference. The need for standardised certification of green hydrogen globally is pressing as it will support faster investment in the sector and enable the growth of liquidity in traded markets, helping investors to manage risk, panellists said. “[Certification] is really the biggest challenge we are facing,” says Daniel Wragge, director of political and regulatory affairs at the Germany-based European Energy Exchange. To speed up the process, countries already invol
Also in this section
4 February 2026
Europe’s largest electrolyser manufacturers are losing patience with policymakers as sluggish growth in the green hydrogen sector undermines their decision to expand production capacity
2 February 2026
As a fertiliser feedstock, it is indispensable, but ammonia’s potential as a carbon-free energy carrier is also making it central to global decarbonisation strategies
28 January 2026
The development of hydrogen’s distribution system must speed up if the industry is to stand any chance of grabbing a meaningful slice of the low-carbon energy market
14 January 2026
Continent’s governments must seize the green hydrogen opportunity by refining policies and ramping up the development of supply chains and infrastructure






