At a World Energy Council event in Berlin, the CEO of German utility EWE, Stefan Dohler, expressed optimism about hydrogen projects despite a recent wave of cancellations in the industry. He stressed the importance of investing in hydrogen initiatives and allocated EUR 1bn for such projects. Dohler highlighted the challenges posed by current regulations, citing lengthy government approval processes and high costs as significant barriers. The CEO urged for a smarter approach to hydrogen development to avoid derailment of progress. The cancellation of projects by companies like Orsted, Uniper, Equinor, and Shell, along with Norway shelving a hydrogen pipeline project with Germany, underscores the uncertainties in the market. High prices of green hydrogen have been a significant concern, pushing up costs by 88% compared to alternatives. Dohler suggested exploring electrolyser options running on biogas to potentially reduce costs by half. Despite the setbacks, EWE continues to push forward with hydrogen projects, such as a 320 MW electrolyser planned for a 2027 launch in northern German Emden, viewing hydrogen as a crucial component of Europe's energy transition.