Connecting Hydrogen MENA 2025

A Night of Innovation and Momentum at the Hydrogen Future Awards

Marcel Kooter, co- founder of the Holland Hydrogen Hub (H3) had the honor of presenting the Hydrogen Future Awards at the Connecting HydrogenMENA 2025 gala dinner, an evening of innovation, inspiration, and momentum towards a global hydrogen economy. The event brought together industry leaders like ACWA Power, NEOM Green Hydrogen Company, ADNOC Group, Masdar (Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company), OQ Alternative Energy, and EMSTEEL Group, all driving transformative progress.

In his speech, Marcel highlighted a key challenge: Deloitte's latest research shows green hydrogen costs in Europe have surged to
€ 8-14/kg, reinforcing MENA’s crucial role in providing cost-competitive, scalable hydrogen solutions.

It was inspiring to celebrate the outstanding contributions of the award winners, including ETAP, Burckhardt Compression, Gulf Cryo, Linde Engineering, Trina Green Hydrogen, NEOM, ADNOC Group, and more.

The Holland Hydrogen Hub (H3), with nearly 50 partners promotes advanced competitive green hydrogen production and transport solutions from the Middle East to Europe. From ammonia and synthetic methane to LOHC and solid hydrogen carriers, these innovations are leveraging existing infrastructure to enable a seamless and faster energy transition.

The solutions are diverse and rapidly evolving, including:
Gaseous and liquid hydrogen, ammonia – supported by multiple partners in the Holland Hydrogen Hub initiative.
- Synthetic methane (e-NG) – developed by TES, enabling hydrogen integration into existing LNG infrastructure.
- e-SAF (sustainable aviation fuel) – advanced by Advario, creating a viable path for decarbonizing aviation.
- Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers (LOHC) – pioneered by Voyex, allowing safe and scalable hydrogen transport.
- Solid hydrogen – being developed by H2Fuel, opening new frontiers in energy storage and transport.

With MENA’s momentum stronger than ever, the region is playing a pivotal role in shaping the future of hydrogen.

Together, we are laying the foundation for a truly global hydrogen economy.