Hydrogen and its derivatives are key building blocks for a climate-neutral and resilient economy. They make it possible to provide energy flexibly across sectors, to store it and to transport it over long distances, thereby opening up new opportunities for industry, infrastructure and international cooperation.

In order to realise this potential in practice, clear and reliable technical rules are required. Plants, materials and measurement methods must be compatible, safety requirements must be comprehensible and results must remain comparable – even across sectors and national borders.

Standards and specifications provide the common basis for this. They define requirements, make interfaces transparent and ensure that all stakeholders can work on the same technical foundation. This creates orientation and trust – from planning and approval through to investment decisions.

While standardization needs for gaseous hydrogen have already been systematically identified, prioritised and transferred into concrete standardization activities, a corresponding structured analysis for hydrogen derivatives is still lacking. This applies in particular to ammonia, methanol and LOHC (Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers), as well as to cryogenic hydrogen. Identifying these needs and closing existing gaps in the technical regulatory framework are necessary in order to comprehensively and consistently cover the entire hydrogen value chain.

The joint project NRM H2 Plus, funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), initiates this process and supports the market ramp-up of hydrogen and hydrogen derivatives. The project started in January 2026 and, over the next three years, will analyse the entire technical regulatory framework and develop a strategic roadmap for standardization.

In addition to mapping the standardization landscape and publishing two standardization roadmaps, pre-normative research projects and implementation projects for standards will also be initiated in order to make the required technical framework available in a timely manner for the market ramp-up of hydrogen and its derivatives.

NRM H2 Plus thrives on professional exchange between industry, research and application. Those who wish to contribute practical experience or specific regulatory needs can actively participate in shaping the further development of the technical framework.

Participating in the project

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