RESEARCH TOUR - Invitation to Hamburg: Can hydrogen deliver on its climate promise?
The programme will provide insights into both the opportunities and limitations of green hydrogen, combining access to the world’s leading hydrogen trade fair with site visits as well as meetings and discussions with independent scientists and leading journalists in this field.
Highlights include:
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Quest One’s Electrolysis Stack Gigahub – Hamburg’s newly opened facility for automated, serial production of PEM electrolysis stacks, with a projected capacity of more than 5 GW per year.
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SaltHy’s Future Hydrogen Cavern Storage – exploring large-scale storage potential in underground salt caverns.
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Meetings at the Competence Center for Renewable Energies, offering expert perspectives on integrated energy systems.
Hamburg itself plans to become climate neutral by 2045 and has developed a clear roadmap to provide the infrastructure and know-how for a green hydrogen economy within this timeframe.
Join us in Hamburg this October for an opportunity to enrich your reporting with direct access to projects, experts, and international perspectives on the energy transition. The programme is organised in cooperation with the City of Hamburg. Accommodation and travel cost will be covered.
Frequently asked questions on how to apply, costs and logistics
The research tour is open to journalists from all over Europe (not just the countries of the EU/based on country of primary residence).
To apply, please click on the red 'sign up' button above that will take you to the web application form.
Please note that applications in any other language than English will not be accepted.
By submitting your application, you agree that your name, associated media outlet, country of primary residence and email address will be shared with the City of Hamburg. If your application is successful, it will appear on a list shared with all participants and with Hamburg Marketing.
All sessions will be held in English.
Participation in the research tour is free of charge. Furthermore, travel costs up to 400 EUR and accommodation will be covered by the City of Hamburg.
Journalists or editorial staff who have made an internal commitment not to accept free services from third parties, or who do not wish to participate in the research tour free of charge for other reasons, may pay for their own travel and share of accommodation and meals. Please contact us directly at event@cleanenergywire.org
Selected participants will organise their own travel to Hamburg and back independently, and will be reimbursed for their expenses by CLEW after the event. Do not book anything before you get the confirmation that you can take part. When arranging travel, participants are kindly asked to consider climate-friendly modes of transportation where viable and reasonable. Please keep in mind the budgetary constraints of up to 400 euro return connection for economy class travel. Participants who would like to cover their expenses on their own (travel, food, accommodation) can get an invoice upon request after the tour.
The programme will most likely start on 19 October in the afternoon and will end on 22 October in the evening. It is possible to extend your stay till 23 October. A more detailed programme will be published about one month prior to the start of the research tour.
All successful applicants will be notified on how to claim reimbursement ahead of the research tour. It is generally not possible to reimburse travel expenses in cash.
Deadline for applications is 21 September 2025.
Please make sure to have access to your email, and do check the spam folder. If your application has been successful you will receive a confirmation email from CLEW no later than 24 September. In this event, please confirm your participation by 10 pm CEST on 26 September. Otherwise your place will be offered to another applicant.
If you require a letter of invitation for your visa application, please let us know by sending an email to event@cleanenergywire.org. Please make sure you have a visa appointment at your embassy or consulate well before the research tour begins to leave enough time for visa processing.
Note: we do not reimburse visa fees or insurance costs.
The character limit is specified in the boxes. Note that the limit includes paragraph breaks, and we appreciate if you do not add any paragraph breaks in the sign-up form. If you have removed all paragraph breaks and are otherwise 100 percent certain that you are below the limit specified, try using a different internet server. For example, if you have previously tried submitting unsuccessfully via Google Chrome, try Firefox, Microsoft Edge or Safari.
Please check your spam folder for an automatically generated email which will ask you to confirm that you successfully submitted an application .
You will then hear from CLEW regarding the outcome of your application no later than 24 September 2025.
Interviews and public debates between journalists and speakers follow different rules and practices in different parts of the world. To make the context of our research tour clear for all involved, we would like to set out the following framework guiding the interaction with participating journalists:
Quotes and interviews
- Statements made by speakers during the sessions are on the record, unless speakers specify otherwise.
Photos, audio or video recordings
- Photos of speakers and participants of the event might be published on the blog, the CLEW website and in social networks. Please support CLEW’s press and public relations work by allowing yourself to be photographed or filmed. If you do not wish to be photographed, please inform us in your application or on the spot. You can also object to the use of your image at a later date at event@cleanenergywire.org
- If the speakers or other participants would like to take photos or record audio or video of the academy, they can approach a staff member from Clean Energy Wire so that we can agree on workable solutions.
Don't hesitate to get in contact with us at event@cleanenergywire.org.