Challenges and Support to Implement Hydrogen Projects: How to Build my H2 Project?

Dr. Thomas Hillig is the founder and managing director of THEnergy, a boutique consultancy driving innovation in the energy space since 2013. He specializes in hydrogen, energy storage, microgrids, e-mobility, and smart energy management. Dr. Hillig supports industrial clients with tailored sustainability strategies, conducts due diligences, and helps cleantech companies successfully enter new markets. Known for his deep expertise and engaging style, he is a sought-after speaker and moderator at international energy and sustainability events.

Sebastian Berg is a partner in the Berlin office of ADVANT Beiten - an independent commercial law firm with around 250 lawyers, tax advisers, auditors, and accountants working from six German offices, as well as offices in Belgium, Russia and China. He is a member of the Public Sector practice group and focuses on German and Eu-ropean energy and regulatory law with an emphasis on renewable energies and hydrogen in particular. He advises his national and international clients on overcoming the challenges associated with the transition to a carbon-neutral economy. Sebastian Berg studied law at the Humboldt University of Berlin and was admitted to the bar in 2015. In 2021, he completed his Master of Laws at the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder). Since 2021 he has regularly presented for the seminar series Smart Room Legal Tech (organised in cooperation with the University of Potsdam).

Philipp is an experienced expert in hydrogen technologies and sustainable energy solutions. Since 2023, he has been driving the development of H2 ecosystems and advancing industrial decarbonization at Thüga AG in Munich. With nearly 15 years of experience in the energy sector, Philipp has held key roles such as Business Development and Innovation Manager, significantly contributing to groundbreaking energy projects and supporting Germany's energy transition. He holds a Master of Science in Energy Management from the University of Koblenz-Landau and a Master's degree in International Marketing from the University of Applied Sciences Hof, underscoring his strong academic foundation in energy and business strategy.

Julia is a fully qualified German lawyer. She advises companies, mainly project developers, on all aspects of planning, permitting and environmental law and specialises in public law for renewable energies and energy storage. Her focus is on supporting renewable energy and BESS projects throughout the entire process - from reviewing the regional planning requirements and supporting urban land-use planning to determining the authorisation requirements and carrying out environmental assessments through to the final approval. In her academic work, Julia focuses primarily on acceleration legislation in the energy sector as well as European environmental and nature conservation law. After completing her doctorate on the topic of procedural acceleration in infrastructure planning, she regularly publishes on these issues in scientific journals such as NVwZ, DVBl, EurUP and ZUR as well as on the Verfassungsblog and has already been active as a speaker at major conferences.