The global hydrogen sector appears to be moving beyond ambitious plans and into the build phase, with projects progressing from announcements to final investment decisions, construction and operation.
That’s according to Ivana Jemelkova, CEO of the Hydrogen Council, who spoke with Pamela Largue for this episode of the Energy Transitions podcast. Drawing on the Council’s latest Global Hydrogen Compass 2026 report, Jemelkova highlights evidence of a sector increasingly focused on turning ambition into deployment.
She takes listeners on a tour of China, Europe and the US, exploring their different approaches to hydrogen development and the critical role of policy in unlocking demand and investment. She also offers a candid look at the challenges facing sectors such as green steel, what project cancellations and consolidation tell us about a maturing market as well as what it will take to build competitive hydrogen ecosystems.
In this episode of the Energy Transitions podcast, you will learn more about:
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What the latest project data reveals about the sector’s shift into construction and operation;
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How China, Europe and the US are taking different approaches and what is driving their progress;
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Why policy is critical to unlocking hydrogen demand and how clearer, more predictable policy frameworks can turn investment commitments into real projects;
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The role of hydrogen in supporting energy security, resilience, industrial competitiveness and, in some markets, food security;
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Why consolidation is part of a maturing market and how policy uncertainty can affect major investment decisions;
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What it takes to build competitive hydrogen ecosystems.
