Driving next-generation hydrogen trade through sustainability, resilience and cooperation.

Frank Wouters, Director of MED•GEM Network, spoke during IRENA Innovation Week 2025 in Bonn  – a platform that brought together pioneers shaping the future of renewable energy infrastructure.

 In the high-level panel co-organised by IRENA and the OECD, alongside Eleanor Webster (Mission Innovation), Dolf Gielen (World Bank), and moderated by Deger Saygin, Frank addressed the sustainability of green hydrogen value chains and how we must learn from past extractive industries to ensure value creation in producing countries.

 “We can and must do better. If we’re serious about hydrogen, we need to build trust, align certification, and ensure the EU and global markets reward green value, not just low cost.”

🔍 Key messages from the session:

▪ International hydrogen trade is a buyers’ market – requiring producing countries to meet diverse regulations.
▪ Unified standards, smart certification and financial de-risking mechanisms are essential to scale.
▪ Strategic public-private partnerships and clear investment signals must lead the way.

As Eleanor Webster rightly said: “International cooperation is essential for reducing risks in cross-border markets. You can’t do that without speaking to each other.”
📸 Photos courtesy IRENA

🇪🇺 MED•GEM Network is funded by the European Union and implemented by GIZ Ins.