This research initiative is designed to provide a science-based framework for the development of a green hydrogen certification system, establishing a critical link in the supply chain of certified green hydrogen between Ukraine and Germany. The project focuses on building the necessary expertise for design and implementation of a cross-border, internationally aligned hydrogen origin verification system, facilitating trade between Ukraine and the EU, particularly Germany.
The German-Ukrainian research collaboration on green hydrogen certification (GerUCCHy) is a partnership between Hamburg Institut Research gGmbH and the State Enterprise “Intersectoral Scientific and Technical Center for Technology Transfer for Renewable Energy and Hydrogen of the Institute of Renewable Energy of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.”
The research project is carried out within the framework of the funding initiative “Cooperation on Green Hydrogen with Ukraine, Central Asia, and the South Caucasus”, launched by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). It falls under the grant guidelines for international research projects on green hydrogen development and certification.
The cooperation seeks to develop practical and scalable methods that will enable the verification and tracking of hydrogen’s “green origin” in the trade between the EU and Ukraine. Consideration is also given to the green electricity certification system currently under development in Ukraine. By aligning certification and verification approaches with EU standards, the project supports investment security and the expansion of green hydrogen exports from Ukraine to the EU.
The development of a relevant certification system will create a foundation for EU-hydrogen trade expansion, ensuring compatibility with other hydrogen-exporting countries in the region. The research focuses on enhancing the replicability of developed methods and systems across diverse energy sectors and regulatory contexts.
In the long term, the research initiative aims to establish a sustained partnership between research institutions, facilitating applied research across all stages of the hydrogen value chain and strengthening the hydrogen supply network between Ukraine and Germany. This collaboration is expected to serve as an institutional pillar supporting the German-Ukrainian energy partnership.
The research project, launched in mid-2024, is structured over a two-year period and consists of the following core packages:
- Development of scientific foundations for hydrogen certification and verification
- Framework for Ukraine’s hydrogen and energy sector
- Survey and, where necessary, adaptation of Ukraine’s energy tracking system for hydrogen application
- Concept of a hydrogen verification and certification system for Ukraine
- Assessment of enhanced sustainability criteria for green hydrogen certification
- Information exchange with Ukrainian ministries and other stakeholders
The findings from this research will contribute to the establishment of a credible certification framework, enhancing transparency, trade reliability, and regulatory alignment for green hydrogen exports from Ukraine to the EU.