Blockchain-based Green Hydrogen Certification
Sector: Tertiary sector · Industry: Renewable energy · Organisation: Nobian, Siemens Energy, envia THERM GmbH · Maturity level: Pilot
A pilot project for blockchain-based certification of green hydrogen at Nobian's chlor-alkali electrolysis plant in Bitterfeld enables complete traceability of electricity sources and CO₂ balance along the entire value chain. The system automatically captures and documents the origin of used energy and sustainability criteria of hydrogen production through a decentralized database. This solution allows producers and consumers of hydrogen to transparently and tamper-proof verify its green properties.
Documentation status
- Project status: Pilot
- Evidence: Evidence high
- Editorial review: Ufuk Avci, 15 April 2026
Description
CertaLink is a blockchain-based certification platform for green hydrogen and e-fuels, operated by dena, Siemens Energy and TÜV Süd. Nobian tested CertaLink from 2023 at its chlor-alkali electrolysis plant in Bitterfeld (Germany). The system maps the entire RFNBO value chain and enables seamless proof of the EU simultaneity requirement: production of renewable electricity and green hydrogen must correlate hourly.
Nobian, formed from the spin-off of the chlor-alkali division of Nouryon, is one of the largest European producers of chlorine-based chemicals and certified green hydrogen. Chlor-alkali electrolysis simultaneously produces chlorine, caustic soda and hydrogen — using exclusively renewable energy results in certified green hydrogen with a 90% lower CO₂ footprint than fossil hydrogen. Bitterfeld has been the first certified chlor-alkali plant for green hydrogen in Germany since 2021 (up to 2,700 t/year). Nobian’s Rotterdam site was the first large (>100 MW) European producer to receive ISCC-EU-RFNBO certification (14,000 t/year, equivalent to 140 MW electrolyser). CertaLink maps the entire value chain blockchain-based: dena operates a blockchain node, verifies data before recording on the blockchain and provides first-level support. Additional CertaLink pilot project since 2022: HIF Haru Oni demonstration plant for green e-fuel in Chile.
Perspectives
B2B — organisations perspective
Industrial hydrogen customers such as refineries and chemical companies receive blockchain-verified RFNBO certificates from Nobian — proof that the hydrogen was truly produced with renewable electricity, which is essential for EU compliance targets for 2030.
B2C — consumers perspective
End consumers benefit indirectly from more transparent and trustworthy green products but have no direct contact with the system. The technology contributes to the overall credibility of green energy carriers.
Employees perspective
Compliance and sustainability teams can handle the certification process for green hydrogen entirely digitally — from hourly correlation of electricity production to customer certification — without manual paper documentation.
Benefits
General
- Tamper-proof and transparent tracking of hydrogen origin builds trust in green certifications.
- Automated data collection and processing reduces manual errors and efforts in certification.
- Enables premium prices for demonstrably sustainable hydrogen and new business models.
B2B — organisations
- Companies can meet regulatory requirements more efficiently and differentiate themselves competitively through transparent sustainability evidence.
Employees
- Employees benefit from automated certification processes that reduce manual documentation and improve data quality.
Challenges
General
- Integration of various IoT systems and existing ERP landscapes requires significant technical effort and expertise.
- Regulatory frameworks for blockchain-based certificates still need to be developed and adapted.
B2B — organisations
- High implementation costs and technical complexity can deter smaller companies from adoption.
Employees
- Employees must develop new digital skills in handling blockchain-based certification systems.
Technology foundation
The system is based on Siemens Energy's CertaLink™ Energy Certification platform, which uses blockchain technology to immutably store production data. IoT sensors continuously collect data on the origin of electricity and production processes, which are then transferred to the blockchain via API interfaces.
Implementation examples
Blockchain pilot project for green hydrogen at Nobian
Nobian wanted to develop a tamper-proof solution for certifying their green hydrogen in order to achieve premium prices and meet regulatory requirements. The lack of standardisation in tracking renewable energy sources in hydrogen production was a key business challenge.
Nobian is testing a blockchain-based certification solution for green hydrogen at their Bitterfeld plant in collaboration with Siemens Energy and envia THERM.
The pilot project uses the CertaLink™ Energy Certification platform for seamless tracking of electricity origin and CO₂ balance in hydrogen production. IoT sensors continuously capture production data, which is transferred to the blockchain via API interfaces. Partners such as the German Energy Agency and TÜV Süd contribute additional expertise on standards and trust.
The system solves the problem of manual and error-prone documentation of sustainability criteria in hydrogen production. Blockchain technology ensures tamper-proof security and transparency throughout the entire value chain.
Tags
Green Hydrogen, Energy Certification, Sustainability Evidence, IoT Integration, Supply Chain Transparency