Hydrogen’s next leap: Industry titans call for global harmonisation

Leaders from John Cockerill Hydrogen, JOGMEC, Tanaka Global, and Gentari laid out the roadmap and hurdles for the hydrogen economy; underscoring global standards, cross-sector collaboration, and new models for energy transition.

The global hydrogen economy is on the cusp of transformation, but industry leaders agree: true momentum demands not just innovation, but harmonisation, too. That was the prevailing message as top executives, including Raphaël Tilot (CEO, John Cockerill Hydrogen), Koji Yamamoto (CTO, JOGMEC), Nobuo Tanaka (CEO, Tanaka Global and Executive Director Emeritus, IEA), and Michèle Azalbert (Chief Hydrogen Officer, Gentari) convened to debate technology, standards, and the quest for a level playing field.

Geopolitics and the big hydrogen opportunity

Kicking off the session, Nobuo Tanaka placed the hydrogen debate in the context of shifting geopolitical winds. “We are watching a global battle of petro states versus electro states,” he observed, contrasting U.S. energy dominance strategies with China and Europe’s aggressive pivot towards electrification. “Japan and Korea stand at a crossroads. Do we align with the petrol state, or the electro state? Hydrogen and nuclear are the industrial keys that may define our nation’s path forward.”

Tanaka candidly reflected on Japan’s decades-long journey commoditising LNG, framing it as both a cautionary tale and a beacon. “It took 50 years for Japan to create a commodity market for LNG. The challenge for hydrogen is even steeper, especially with unregulated markets demanding government intervention through subsidies, carbon pricing, and more innovative policy levers.”

The business case for harmonisation

For Koji Yamamoto, harmonisation and scale are the mantras. As CTO of JOGMEC, Yamamoto is deeply invested in electrolyser technologies. “People complain green hydrogen is too expensive, but the scale effect is enormous,” he argued. “To promote the industry, it is super important to work on harmonisation of the standards, and to account for the indirect costs and externalities of hydrocarbon energies.”

In a resonant quote, he stressed, “We need to find a common definition of green hydrogen worldwide, a definition that enables industry to take off. Without this harmonisation, every project becomes a tailor-made, time-consuming ordeal. Only when we standardise, can the real energy transition begin.”

Building liquidity and trust in the market

Michèle Azalbert, of Gentari, drew attention to the urgency of market mechanisms. “The question is not just how to make hydrogen affordable, but how to build the supply chain, and deliver products to the customer,” she said. Azalbert believes harmonisation goes hand-in-hand with market liquidity. “We must focus on standards and certification for the carbon intensity of products, not just to track the physical product, but to develop a system of credible, tradable certificates. That’s the only way the market will trust and scale hydrogen.”

Aviation, mobility, and international collaboration

Bringing an aviation perspective, the panel’s Beyond Aero advisor argued that momentum is rapidly building; not only technologically, but on the public policy front. “What we see next is the need for alignment and homogeneity, when it comes to standard certifications,” he claimed. “Otherwise, scaling will be impossible.”

Action items were clear and tangible: define a universal standard for green hydrogen, develop harmonised measurement and certification protocols, and intensify work with regulators and industrial bodies.

Level the playing field and global collaboration

All participants agreed that harmonisation is far from mere bureaucracy, it’s the key to unlocking global investment, and accelerating adoption. “Carbon tax is a key to unlock it all, and create the market,” noted Azalbert, “because it enables governments to finance infrastructure needs, and incentivise companies to compete on equal footing.”

In closing, the session issued a call to arms: dream big, collaborate globally, and push for harmonised standards, so hydrogen can deliver not just power, but peace and prosperity. As Tanaka concluded, “We must make peace with new technologies and international collaboration. Hydrogen is a critical case for our future.”