Germany’s strategy to build an industrial scale hydrogen economy has reached another operational milestone as the first volumes of green hydrogen have been produced during commissioning at RWE’s 300 MW electrolyzer project in Lingen. The initial hydrogen production comes from the first 100 MW of proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer capacity supplied by UK manufacturer ITM Power. While electrolyzer capacity often attracts the greatest attention, the broader system integration may ultimately determine commercial success. Production capacity alone offers limited value without reliable transportation and storage networks capable of connecting renewable hydrogen with industrial demand centers. The project also highlights Germany’s broader strategy of coupling renewable hydrogen production with industrial decarbonization rather than prioritizing export markets.