Berlin, November 6, 2025. Sustainably produced and used hydrogen is key to climate neutrality. For Germany to successfully ramp up hydrogen, it needs uniform norms and standards. A crucial milestone has now been reached: with the second edition of the Standardization roadmap for hydrogen technologies, a concrete roadmap for standardization is now available. The document is being presented today by the project partners DIN, DKE, DVGW, NWB, VDA, VDI, and VDMA in a joint online event. It was commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) and provides a comprehensive overview of the status and development of standardization – from production and infrastructure to application. This is because standards and technical rules ensure the harmonization of the hydrogen process chain – from electrolysis and cross-border pipelines to commercial use. Cross-cutting issues such as safety, training, materials, and sustainability were also taken into account.
Expertise from all sectors
More than 700 experts from industry, science, administration, and civil society contributed to the roadmap. In many areas, the regulatory framework is already complete or nearly complete, e.g., in the integration of new hydrogen technologies into established industrial sectors. At the same time, the roadmap still identifies gaps, for example in production, storage, liquefaction, and air transport. For example, gas storage facilities designed for natural gas still need to be adapted for hydrogen, and there is still a need for research in the field of alternative production methods. In order to systematically address these and other challenges, the roadmap contains over 300 specific recommendations for action. Since October 2023, 69 funded standardization projects have already been launched.
Download
The Hydrogen Technologies 2025 Standardization Roadmap, a management summary, and further information are now available for download here.
Ready for the next steps
Standards and technical specifications are crucial for a sustainable hydrogen economy in Germany and Europe. They create trust, promote investment, and provide guidance for all market participants. With the standardization roadmap, the project partners have created the conditions for bringing hydrogen from pilot projects into widespread use.
Results of the Standardization roadmap for hydrogen technologies
- German impetus for international standardization
- German impetus for international standardization
- Complete overview of existing technical regulations in the field of hydrogen technologies
- Overview of more than 1,000 technical rules in a publicly accessible database
- Overview of more than 1,000 technical rules in a publicly accessible database
- 69 projects funded to date
Hydrogen as an energy carrier
Hydrogen plays a central role in the energy transition. Surplus electricity, e.g., from wind and solar power plants, can be converted into hydrogen by electrolysis and stored flexibly. It is used in industry, transport, and heat supply—especially where electricity from renewable energies cannot be used directly.
About the project
The project is a joint initiative of the German Institute for Standardization (DIN), the VDE Association for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies (German Commission for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies (DKE)), the German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas and Water (DVGW), the Association for Standardization and Further Development of the Railway Industry (NWB), the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), the Association of German Engineers (VDI), and the VDMA e. V. – Europe's largest association for mechanical and plant engineering.
It is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.
More information about the project and the project partners involved can also be found on the project website www.normungsroadmap-h2.de.
