As hydrogen infrastructure projects across Europe move from strategy papers to concrete implementation, the question is no longer if hydrogen markets will emerge - but how access to this infrastructure will be organised. PRISMA, long established in the European gas market, is extending its platform to hydrogen.
Götz Lincke, Managing Director at PRISMA European Capacity Platform GmbH, gives insights into what drives this step, what market participants need at this stage, and why proven mechanisms matter.
PRISMA: PRISMA is well known as a leading capacity platform in the European gas market. Why is hydrogen a strategic focus for you now?
Götz Lincke: Hydrogen infrastructure is entering its operational phase. For years, most projects existed mainly on paper. Today, we see concrete pipelines, regulatory frameworks, and first capacity offerings.
At that point, the challenge becomes very practical: how do you organise access to this infrastructure in a transparent, non-discriminatory and market-oriented way?
For us at PRISMA, the answer is straightforward. We take what already works in the gas market and adapt it for hydrogen.
PRISMA: What makes this moment different from earlier hydrogen initiatives?
Götz Lincke: The difference is execution. We now see projects moving from planning into implementation. A good example is Energinet's Danish Hydrogen Backbone, where capacity allocation is already being prepared using the PRISMA platform.
That marks an important shift: hydrogen is no longer just a future energy carrier. It is becoming a market with concrete booking processes, timelines, and contractual commitments. Once capacity is offered, established mechanisms for registration, allocation and contracting become essential - exactly the space where PRISMA operates.
PRISMA: Why is it important to rely on established market mechanisms instead of building something new from scratch?
Götz Lincke: Because infrastructure markets depend on trust, transparency and non-discrimination. These principles are not optional - they are fundamental.
In gas, we have spent more than a decade building standardised processes that work across borders and stakeholders. Reusing these mechanisms for hydrogen reduces complexity and operational risk for everyone involved. Transmission system operators can rely on proven workflows, and shippers can work with familiar tools instead of learning entirely new systems.
PRISMA: Who benefits most from PRISMA’s hydrogen offering today?
Götz Lincke: Right now, it is primarily the first movers: infrastructure operators and market participants who are actively shaping the early hydrogen market.
These organisations need clarity. They need digital processes that scale. And they need a neutral platform that supports market-based allocation from day one. PRISMA provides exactly that - from central registration and capacity booking to automation options via API.
Over time, this will benefit the wider market as hydrogen networks expand and more participants join.
PRISMA: How does PRISMA’s experience in gas translate into hydrogen in practical terms?
Götz Lincke: Today, PRISMA connects around 5,000 active users and more than 1,000 companies across Europe. That ecosystem comes with mature processes for capacity allocation, user management, compliance and security.
By extending its cloud-based platform to hydrogen, PRISMA provides the same operational backbone: first-come-first-served bookings where applicable, transparent allocation rules, and digital workflows that integrate directly into companies’ systems.
It is not about copying gas markets one-to-one. It is about transferring the parts that have proven effective.
PRISMA: Looking ahead: what role does PRISMA see for itself in Europe’s hydrogen market?
Götz Lincke: Our role is to support the transition from ambition to execution.
Hydrogen will only scale if infrastructure is organised in a market-ready way from the start. PRISMA provides a neutral European platform that helps make this happen - enabling early projects today and laying the foundation for larger, interconnected hydrogen markets tomorrow.