conference programme – 12 November 2025

As Europe accelerates its hydrogen ambitions, the Baltics, Nordics, and Central & Eastern Europe (CEE) regions are working to establish their place in the continent’s evolving hydrogen economy. This panel brings together policy leaders, regulators, and legal experts to explore how national hydrogen strategies are being developed and implemented, and what legal, regulatory, and market frameworks are required to attract investment and build cross-border hydrogen infrastructure.

We will examine how these regions align with the EU Hydrogen Strategy, RED III, and Fit for 55, while also identifying gaps and challenges in permitting, certification, and demand-side regulation. Particular attention will be paid to the interplay between national goals and regional cooperation, hydrogen valley projects, and the importance of clear, bankable legal structures to support private-sector participation.

Key Discussion Points:

• Transportation and implementation of EU legislation status (REDIII, Gas decarbonisation and hydrogen package) and development of national legislation, including the timing of legal acts.
• Policy goals – how hydrogen and e-fuels stand out in national energy policies and how those are aligned with wide EU policy.
• How legal framework roll-out will aid hydrogen production and consumption.
• Main challenges foreseen by policymakers and market players.
• Future-proofing storage: long-duration systems and emerging technologies

As green hydrogen supply chains develop across Europe, demand-side readiness remains the critical driver of momentum. This session will examine current and emerging hydrogen demand across the Baltic States, Nordic countries, and Central & Eastern Europe, focusing on industrial decarbonization, heavy transport, power balancing, and potential hydrogen exports.

The panel will feature industrial offtakers, policymakers, and market analysts discussing real demand signals, challenges in stimulating adoption, and how demand frameworks and incentives are evolving. We will also explore what buyers in sectors like fertilizers, steel, cement, shipping, and aviation need to see for hydrogen to become viable – and bankable – at scale.

Key Discussion Points:

• Compliance market – when it starts and how big it is in the region. EU regulations for transport, industry, marine and aviation. How EU regulations are reflected in national regulations and is there a need for any additional regulation.
• E-fuels and synthetic fuels sector development. 
• Hydrogen for mobility: what are the perspectives and challenges for development of H2 refuelling stations and what types of consumers would be using them.
• Biogenic CO2 carbon capture potential and development. How it can be aligned with E-fuels market.
• Incentives for hydrogen consumption for transportation and industry.

The Baltics, Nordics, and Central & Eastern Europe (CEE) are emerging as critical frontiers in Europe’s green hydrogen build-out. This panel will explore how these regions are advancing hydrogen production through renewable-powered electrolysis, industrial partnerships, and infrastructure readiness. With the EU Hydrogen Bank and national funding mechanisms starting to unlock capital, countries are racing to deploy viable projects that align with decarbonization goals and create new export opportunities.

Bringing together developers, policymakers, and technology providers, the session will focus on how to scale up hydrogen production responsibly and competitively while navigating permitting, grid access, and water use. We will also assess how projects can be de-risked through strategic offtake agreements, co-location, and integrated planning.

Key Discussion Points:

• Hydrogen production potential – overall perspectives in the region; update on projects in progress and planned.
• Hydrogen export options – prerequisites and potential; local demand and usage prioritization.
• Critical factors to be implemented to allow hydrogen build-out in the region – timeline, FIDs, clarity of regulations and legal; offtake; infrastructure (transport and storage).
• Other pathways to produce green and low-carbon hydrogen (rather than electrolysis) – what they are, update on existing and planned projects, factors determining their success.

As hydrogen begins to take a central role in Europe’s energy transition, its successful deployment depends heavily on its integration with the electricity market. In the Baltics, Nordics, and Central & Eastern Europe (CEE), this means designing systems that support renewable-based electrolysis, enable grid balancing, and promote flexibility.

This session explores how hydrogen production and consumption can be embedded into electricity markets in a way that supports decarbonization, reliability, and system efficiency. Experts will examine the implications for grid operators, market design, demand response, and cross-border trade. The session also covers how hydrogen hubs, power purchase agreements (PPAs), and capacity markets can evolve to support this integration.

Key Discussion Points:

• Hydrogen as the largest new consumer of renewable energy.
• Serving electricity market flexibility needs though DSR (ancillary services and balancing).
• Hydrogen offtakes – on- and off-grid, the need for flexible PPAs (as H2 productions very sensitive to price fluctuations).
• Grid tariffication – the need for lower and dynamic grid tariffs to incentivise both connection to the energy grid and flexibility (positive to electricity market demands).

The Baltics, Nordics, and Central & Eastern Europe (CEE) are emerging as critical frontiers in Europe’s green hydrogen build-out. This panel will explore how these regions are advancing hydrogen production through renewable-powered electrolysis, industrial partnerships, and infrastructure readiness. With the EU Hydrogen Bank and national funding mechanisms starting to unlock capital, countries are racing to deploy viable projects that align with decarbonization goals and create new export opportunities.

Bringing together developers, policymakers, and technology providers, the session will focus on how to scale up hydrogen production responsibly and competitively while navigating permitting, grid access, and water use. We will also assess how projects can be de-risked through strategic offtake agreements, co-location, and integrated planning.

Key Discussion Points:

• NBHC and other major transport corridors – their importance, current status of development, further requirements to speed up their deployment, competition and co-operation of separate corridors.
• National hydrogen network development – requirements, design, timeframe and pre-conditions.
• Balancing hydrogen network without storage. Expected lengths of balancing periods and implications for H2 production, consumption and electricity markets.
• Market storage requirements; location plans and time frame for the first underground storage facility in the region to be operational.
• Over storage potential in the region.

PLEASE NOTE:

All timings are approximate. The organisers reserve the right o agenda the agenda to reflect market changes and updates and are not responsible for speakers no-show and last-minute replacements.