Trusted Corporation Leads Japan–Germany Hydrogen Delegation to Explore Co-Creation Opportunities for a Carbon-Neutral Future

From October 21 to 24, Trusted Corporation, in collaboration with HY-5, organized the Green Hydrogen Delegation to Northern Germany, connecting representatives from leading Japanese companies with key stakeholders across Germany’s growing hydrogen ecosystem.

The four-day program offered participants an in-depth look at Germany’s national hydrogen strategy, large-scale production sites, and industrial transformation driving hydrogen-based sustainability and carbon neutrality.

Visiting Hamburg, Werlte, Duisburg, and Düsseldorf, the delegation gained valuable insights into how Germany is advancing technologies and building partnerships that link policy, technology, and business development to accelerate the energy transition. The initiative also aimed to strengthen collaboration between Japan and Germany, fostering opportunities for co-creation and knowledge exchange in the emerging hydrogen economy.

Program Overview and Key Highlights

The delegation kicked off in Hamburg with a deep dive into Germany’s National Hydrogen Strategy and the growing regional ecosystem driving its implementation. Hosted by Hamburg Invest, participants heard from representatives of the Federal Ministry of Economy, Germany Trade & Invest, and HY-5, who shared how Germany is positioning itself for the future as a leading hub for hydrogen innovation.

Discussions explored technology readiness, supply chain development, and the importance of setting global quality standards to enable international collaboration. The German government emphasized the importance of Japanese companies participating in international standard-setting processes, introducing new government hydrogen strategies and ways for Japanese companies to take part in projects and access funding opportunities.

“Although having established a decent network with H2 related stakeholders over the last 25 years, the individual and moderated discussions enabled through Trusted Corporation allowed for deeper discussions with and understanding of federal and federal state governments hydrogen strategies and funding opportunities, hydrogen economy roadmaps of various companies met and vast investment potential through organizations such as Hamburg Invest, HY-5 and GTAI.”

Thomas Brachmann, Technical Leader, Power Unit & Energy Research at Honda R&D Europe (Deutschland) GmbH

The delegation then visited the World Hydrogen Expo, one of Europe’s largest gatherings for hydrogen technology and innovation. Participants explored exhibition halls and joined a dedicated session and introduction of ECOMAT, a research and technology center fostering development around advanced materials and cryogenics.

Trusted organized other dedicated sessions at the Expo specifically for the delegation with German enterprises, SMEs and other ecosystem members of the HY-5 region, including thyssenkrupp Automation Engineering. Participants noted that these sessions provided a deeper understanding of ongoing projects and offered insights they would not have gained through a regular visit to exhibitor booths.

“Being able to interact with like-minded visitors from Japanese companies about the hydrogen market and the newest fuel cell and electrolyzer production technology was a pleasure. Increasing and strengthening ties with Japanese partners is beneficial. Both nations have a lot of potential to work together to develop the market and technologies for hydrogen.

Thomas Kuschel, Head of Business Development Hydrogen, thyssenkrupp Automation Engineering

In addition to these dedicated discussions, the delegation also visited major hydrogen production and industrial sites to observe technologies being applied in real settings.

In Werlte, participants toured Hy2Gen’s Atlantis Plant, one of Germany’s leading projects for industrial-scale green hydrogen and e-fuel production. The visit provided a first-hand look at the facility’s operations, including its electrolyzers, storage systems, and distribution processes.

In Duisburg, the group visited thyssenkrupp Steelworks to learn about the company’s transformation toward hydrogen-based steelmaking. Representatives provided an overview of the Direct Reduction plant construction site, and outlined the measures being implemented to decarbonize one of Europe’s largest steel production facilities, supported by substantial public funding initiatives.

To conclude the delegation, participants met with NRW.Global Business in Düsseldorf, the trade and investment agency of North Rhine-Westphalia. The meeting provided an overview of the region’s hydrogen ecosystem and mobility initiatives, including the development of refueling infrastructure for heavy transport and the expansion of pipeline networks. Discussions also highlighted ongoing business and investment opportunities in the NRW region and the role of cross-border collaboration in advancing hydrogen mobility.

The program closed with an informal dinner and debrief session, where participants reflected on the week’s activities and discussed potential areas for future cooperation between Japanese and German companies in the hydrogen sector.

Outcomes and Next Steps

The Green Hydrogen Delegation offered participants a comprehensive view of how Germany is advancing its hydrogen economy through collaboration between government, industry, and research institutions. Over four days, the program combined discussions, hands-on site visits, and direct engagement with local experts, providing a deeper understanding of how policy and technology align to drive industrial transformation.

“The delegation provided the opportunity to discuss with hydrogen leaders, and we could learn actual German hydrogen situation. While the construction of hydrogen society has advanced ahead of the world, problems (e.g. cost, energy stability, hydrogen supply capacity, and so on) have also been clarified. It was necessary to solve this problem with the cooperation of the world.”

Kensuke Tanaka, Project Assistant Manager, DENSO CORPORATION

Trusted Corporation extends its sincere gratitude and appreciation to all participants, partners, and organizations who contributed to the success of this delegation. The insights gained and connections established throughout the program have laid a foundation for continued collaboration between Japan and Germany in advancing hydrogen innovation and industrial transformation.

Trusted remains committed to fostering these partnerships and supporting companies in developing new business opportunities through the commercialization of hydrogen technologies.

Building on the outcomes of this delegation, Trusted will work with participants and new partner companies to design concrete collaborations that test solutions in real environments, develop scalable business models, and accelerate their path to market across Europe and Japan.

If your organization is interested in learning more about the insights gathered from this delegation or engaging in collaboration to develop, test, and implement hydrogen or decarbonization projects within Europe and Japan’s industrial ecosystems, contact us at contact@trusted-inc.com.