Despite ambitious goals, the hydrogen rollout in Germany has so far progressed only slowly. High production costs, a lack of demand incentives, and insufficiently coordinated support instruments are inhibiting investment and market development. While producers are dependent on long-term purchase agreements, reliable, competitive supply structures are lacking on the demand side, particularly for industrial applications.

This is where the concept of hydrogen midstreamers comes in: As intermediaries between producers and consumers, they could assume key functions: mitigating risks, ensuring price and volume stability, coordinating funding, and thus building market confidence. Such a mechanism is reminiscent of the role of traditional gas wholesalers during the natural gas ramp-up, with the difference that today it's not just about physical infrastructure, but also about market design and investment security.

But how realistic is such an approach within today's market and funding landscape? What political prerequisites would need to be created – and where do potential conflicts of objectives lie?

Join us in discussing the role midstreamers can play in a functioning and industrially viable hydrogen economy – and whether they will become the decisive lever for a market-based ramp-up.