Building Lead Markets: How Do We Turn Hydrogen Demand into Reality?
One of the central discussions at the 2026 H2A Symposium focused on a question that sits at the heart of Europe’s hydrogen ambitions:
How do we create the lead markets needed to turn hydrogen demand into reality?
Moderated by Rumaitha Al Busaidi, the panel brought together representatives from sectors expected to play a critical role in the future hydrogen economy:
- Paul Vonk (Tata Steel Nederland)
- Jasper Vos (Wienerberger)
- Stijn Grove (Dutch Data Center Association)
- Stephan Bredewold (Fountain Fuel)
- Volker Hasenberg (Daimler Truck AG)
Together, they explored the opportunities, challenges, and policy choices needed to accelerate hydrogen adoption across industry, mobility, construction, and digital infrastructure.
Demand Exists, But It Must Solve a Problem
A recurring theme throughout the discussion was that hydrogen demand will not emerge on its own.
For Tata Steel, hydrogen is not simply another energy option but an essential molecule required to produce fossil-free steel. As Paul Vonk explained, electrification alone cannot replace the role hydrogen can play in removing oxygen from iron ore during steel production.
For Wienerberger, hydrogen offers a pathway to generate the high-temperature heat needed for manufacturing building materials, but access to infrastructure and affordability remain major considerations.
Meanwhile, mobility providers highlighted how hydrogen can help overcome grid congestion challenges and support heavy-duty transport where battery-electric solutions alone may not always be sufficient.
Infrastructure and Demand Must Grow Together
While infrastructure is often seen as the key challenge for hydrogen, several panelists stressed that creating demand is equally important.
Paul Vonk argued that Europe has already made the strategic decision to decarbonise industry. The next step is ensuring demand exists for low-carbon products such as fossil-free steel through procurement mechanisms and supportive policy frameworks.
Jasper Vos echoed this sentiment, noting that significant investments are already being made in infrastructure, but more attention is needed on creating viable markets for hydrogen and ensuring European industry remains competitive during the transition.
Making Hydrogen “Sexy”
One of the more memorable moments of the panel came from Stephan Bredewold, who challenged the audience to think differently about how hydrogen is communicated.
“We are talking to ourselves,” he remarked, urging the hydrogen community to leave the conference room and better explain the practical value hydrogen can bring to customers and society.
His call to “make hydrogen sexy” quickly became one of the recurring phrases of the discussion and the rest of the symposium, not as a marketing slogan, but as a reminder that hydrogen adoption will ultimately depend on solving real-world challenges and demonstrating clear value.
Looking Beyond Individual Sectors
The panel also highlighted the increasing interconnectedness of Europe’s energy system.
Stijn Grove pointed to the growing electricity demand from data centres and argued that Europe needs a more integrated energy strategy that combines renewable generation, storage, hydrogen, flexible power, and infrastructure planning.
Volker Hasenberg emphasised that the future of hydrogen mobility will ultimately depend on creating the right framework conditions, including infrastructure availability, regulation, and competitive hydrogen pricing.
Key Takeaways
As the discussion concluded, several common themes emerged:
- Demand will only develop where hydrogen provides a clear solution.
- Infrastructure and market creation must advance together.
- First movers need sufficient support to bridge the gap to scale.
- Regulation remains a critical driver of investment decisions.
- Europe’s competitiveness and resilience must remain central to the transition.
The panel reinforced a message that surfaced repeatedly throughout the symposium: building a hydrogen economy is not simply about producing molecules. It is about creating the conditions that allow those molecules to be used at scale.