Survey on electroplating in the hydrogen economy

The DGO conducted a survey on electroplating technology in the hydrogen economy. The aim was to record the industry's demand for electroplating processes for applications in the hydrogen economy.

In order to determine the current and expected future demand for electroplating processes for applications in the hydrogen economy within the industry, the German Society for Electroplating and Surface Technology e.V. (DGO) conducted a questionnaire survey at the ZVO Surface Technology Days 2025 in Leipzig. A total of 55 representatives from various bodies took part in the survey, including 16 electroplating companies, 9 chemical and process suppliers and 5 research institutes. The remaining 25 participants came from customer industries and the electroplating supply industry.

The following figures show an excerpt of the survey results, which can be interpreted as follows: On the one hand, they demonstrate a pronounced awareness of the increasingly high significance of electroplating processes for the hydrogen economy within the industry (1.), which is accompanied or supported by a high number of customer inquiries within the supply chains, among other things (2.). However, only a small proportion of the value creation potential has been realized by companies to date (3.).

Looking at the current situation, it is clear that the growth of the hydrogen economy in Germany is still being hampered by a number of factors that combine to create a complex overall challenge. The most important factors are

• High production costs: green hydrogen, which is produced from renewable energies such as wind or solar power through electrolysis, is currently more expensive than conventional fossil fuels. The price difference makes it less attractive for companies to switch to hydrogen technologies.
• Lack of infrastructure: The development of a nationwide hydrogen infrastructure, such as pipelines, filling stations or storage capacities, is cost-intensive and has so far been inadequate in Germany. The development of this infrastructure is delaying the widespread use of hydrogen.
• Regulatory uncertainty: The legal framework for the hydrogen economy is complex and not yet fully developed. Uncertainties regarding subsidies, tax incentives and long-term political support make investment decisions difficult.
• Availability of renewable energies: The expansion of renewable energy is not progressing fast enough to produce the required amount of green hydrogen. Without sufficient access to renewable energy, the production of green hydrogen is limited.
• Lack of scaling: The hydrogen market is still relatively small in Germany and worldwide. Without large-scale scaling, the necessary economies of scale to reduce production and operating costs are lacking.
• Technological challenges: The storage and transportation of hydrogen continue to pose technological challenges. Hydrogen is a very light and volatile gas, which requires special technologies and safety precautions.
• Competition with other technologies: The hydrogen sector competes with other sustainable energy technologies, such as battery electric. In some applications, such as road transportation, battery-powered solutions are considered more efficient and cost-effective.
• International dependencies: Germany will probably have to import large quantities of hydrogen to meet its own demand. This leads to dependencies on other countries and their hydrogen production, which entails uncertainties.

For a successful transformation of our energy supply towards a hydrogen economy, appropriate framework conditions must therefore be created in the medium and long term. The DGO is therefore planning corresponding initiatives for the production, storage and transportation of hydrogen in order to support the industry at a scientific and technological level and to increase the potential for value creation in the long term. Corresponding calls will follow. (OM-2/25)