BRUSSELS — Việt Nam is showcasing its green hydrogen potential at European Hydrogen Week 2026 in Brussels, Belgium for the first time, seeking to connect with European partners and join the emerging green hydrogen value chain.

According to the Vietnam Trade Office in Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union (EU), Việt Nam has offshore wind potential exceeding 600 GW, among the largest in Southeast Asia. Its coastline of more than 3,000 km offers favourable conditions for offshore energy development and large-scale export infrastructure.

Việt Nam aims to produce 100,000-500,000 tonnes of hydrogen annually by 2030 and 10-20 million tonnes by 2050. These targets align with its net-zero emissions commitment, the European Green Deal and commitments under the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).

The trade office introduced four investment priorities of Việt Nam. These include renewable hydrogen production, covering electrolysis, offshore wind-to-hydrogen, green ammonia and liquid hydrogen exports; storage, compression, pipelines, transport networks and port logistics; industrial decarbonisation and fuel switching in heavy transport and shipping; and hydrogen applications in steel, fertilisers, chemicals, cement, power generation and heavy transport.

Trần Ngọc Quân, head of the Vietnam Trade Office in Belgium, Luxembourg and the EU, said the office has regularly participated in European Hydrogen Week since its launch in 2020, but this is the first time Việt Nam has its own exhibition booth.

The initiative follows the direction given by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee and President Tô Lâm during his recent visit to Belgium, calling on representative agencies to strengthen cooperation in green and sustainable economic development and high technology, Quân stressed.

According to Quân, the Vietnamese booth has welcomed international visitors interested in the country’s hydrogen policies. Some from the Republic of Korea and Japan said they will be ready to become the first customers to import hydrogen from Việt Nam if the country develops a hydrogen trade.

The office’s immediate priority is to raise awareness among European businesses and investors of Việt Nam’s hydrogen strategy and commitment to clean energy, he said.

To help turn potential into projects, the trade office aims to support European businesses with updated market data, advice on investment opportunities, incentives and legal frameworks, connections with Việt Namese partners and project developers, and dialogue with government agencies. It also introduces a Việt Nam-EU trade connectivity portal for investors.

Existing frameworks for cooperation include the EU-Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), JETP, the Global Gateway strategy and the European Green Deal. During General Secretary and President Lam’s official visit to the EU last week, the two sides agreed to promote investment through Global Gateway and cooperate on the energy transition.

Việt Nam still needs to translate its natural resource potential into financially viable projects backed by legal frameworks and synchronised infrastructure. Its early presence at the event signals its intention to participate in shaping global clean energy supply chains.

Bjorn Van Thienen, head of business operations and marketing at Exion Hydrogen, said hydrogen, particularly green hydrogen, will have a definite role in the future energy mix. The company, owned by a Polish investor and headquartered in Poland, operates its research, development and business centre in Belgium. It uses both alkaline and PEM electrolysis technologies, which Việt Nam is seeking to develop. — VNA/VNS