Rebecca (Host): “Welcome to the first episode of Redefine H2E, the podcast all about the future of energy and the key role hydrogen will play in it. My name is Rebecca Singer, and I’m excited you’re tuning in today.”
Introducing Rebecca “I am part of the BMBF-funded Future Lab Redefine H2E, a project founded in 2021 dedicated to researching green hydrogen and located at the Chair of Energy Systems of the Technological University of Munich, Germany.”

Why the podcast? “In our podcast, we want to explain why hydrogen technology is so important for the future, in a simple and accessible way.

We believe it’s critical to raise awareness of hydrogen’s role in the energy transition.
So our goal is to make current developments and political decisions accessible to everyone and inspire people to engage more deeply with sustainable energy topics. We want to drive public discussion and show that hydrogen can be a key part of the solution to the climate crisis.
That’s why we’re going to talk to some of ourREDEFINE H2E experts to discuss new perspectives and approaches. If you want to dive even deeper into today’s topic and expand your knowledge even further, you will find some interesting sources surrounding today’s discussion linked in our shownotes.”

All of us have heard about for example green hydrogen produced from renewable energies that could play a key role in drastically reducing carbon emissions worldwide.
Today, we’ll be discussing how the transition to clean energy and especially hydrogen technologies can help us tackle the climate crisis.

To this end, we are talking to one of our REDEFINE Core Scientists, Sebastian Fendt,. Thank you for making some room in your busy schedule Sebastian!

Sebastian “Thanks, Rebecca! I’m excited to be here and discuss hydrogen and its future prospects.”

Rebecca: “So are we – so please tell us a little something about you Sebastian!”

Sebastian: Introduction of the expert (2-3 minutes)
• Name
• Role, Institution
• Project, Project duration
• 2-3 sentences about hydrogen
1. The importance of climate goals (approx. 4-6 minutes)
Rebecca (Host): “Let’s start by talking about the official climate goals. The world has committed to limiting global warming to under 2 degrees, ideally to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels, through the Paris Agreement in 2015. But how realistic is that?”
Sebastian: “Achieving the climate goals is definitely a huge challenge, but it’s also doable if we take the right steps. We need to move away from fossil fuels towards clean energy, and this is where hydrogen comes into play—it has the potential to be a key solution, especially in sectors that are difficult to decarbonize, like heavy industry or long-haul transport.”
Rebecca (Host): “Hydrogen is often referred to as the ‘missing piece’ to achieve these ambitious climate goals. Which countries or organizations are particularly focused on hydrogen?”
Sebastian”Germany, Japan, South Korea, and the European Union in general are leading the way. They’ve all developed national and international hydrogen strategies to support the transition to a carbon-free economy. What’s particularly exciting is that they’re not only focusing on domestic production of green hydrogen but also on international collaborations to meet demand.”
2. Forecasts for hydrogen technologies (approx. 5-7 minutes)
Rebecca (Host): “Yeah, I guess worldwide cooperation is crucial to the success of these developments. Looking towards the future, what are the forecasts for the development of hydrogen technologies? Will hydrogen really become as big a part of our future energy mix as often claimed?”
Sebastian: “Absolutely, the forecasts are promising. Studies show that by 2050, hydrogen could account for up to 24% of global energy demand. Its use is expected to grow significantly, especially in the transport and industrial sectors. Green hydrogen, produced from renewable energy sources like wind or solar, will play the most important role.”
Rebecca (Host): “Why is it not already playing such a big role?”
Sebastian): “The biggest challenge right now is costs. Green hydrogen is still significantly more expensive than fossil fuels. Then there’s the infrastructure. We need pipelines, storage, and fueling stations that are suitable for hydrogen worldwide. But with the right investments and political support, this could change within the next ten to twenty years.”
3. Political and economic frameworks (approx. 6-8 minutes)
Rebecca (Host): “Let’s talk about this political support and the economic frameworks surrounding this development. What’s being done to advance the progress of hydrogen technologies?”
Sebastian: “There are already many political initiatives promoting hydrogen. In Germany, for instance, the government has adopted a National Hydrogen Strategy that foresees over €9 billion in investments for hydrogen projects by 2030. The EU is also promoting hydrogen under its Green Deal.”
Rebecca (Host): “What about international competition? Many countries are investing heavily in these technologies right now.”
Sebastian: “That’s right, the competition is intense, but that could be beneficial in the end. The pressure to develop more efficient technologies and reduce costs will lead to more innovation. It’s important that countries collaborate and promote global hydrogen trade to accelerate the achievement of climate goals.”
4. International cooperation and initiatives (approx. 5-7 minutes)
Rebecca (Host): “Competition brings out the best if it is intense, but in the end, worldwide cooperation is key, right? What global initiatives are already in place?”
Sebastian: “There are some exciting projects. For example, the H2Global initiative, which aims to promote international trade in green hydrogen. Europe is working closely with countries like Australia and the Middle East, which have great potential for low-cost hydrogen production. These countries could become key exporters of green hydrogen in the future.”
Redefine introduction (5 minutes)
Rebecca (Host):
“That sounds like a real future market. How soon do you think we’ll see a truly global hydrogen market?”
Sebastian: “I think we’ll see significant progress over the next ten years. However, it will take some more time before the infrastructure is in place and hydrogen is traded globally in large quantities. What’s important is that we set the right course now.”
Conclusion (approx. 2-3 minutes)
Rebecca (Host): “Thank you Sebastian for sharing some of your valuable insights into the future of hydrogen and its role in achieving climate goals. In the next episode, we’ll take a closer look at how green hydrogen is produced and where and how it’s already being used. So, stay tuned, and thank you for listening to Redefine H2E. See you next time!” Music fade-out.
Episode summary:
• Climate goals and the role of hydrogen in the energy transition
• Future development and challenges of hydrogen technology
• Political and economic frameworks for hydrogen
• International cooperation on hydrogen