Energy industry calls on German gov't to step up hydrogen efforts
Frankfurter Allgemeine / Clean Energy Wire
Germany should ensure it does not “miss the boat” on ramping up the hydrogen economy, the head of energy industry association BDEW, Kerstin Andreae, told Frankfurter Allgemeine (FAZ) in an interview. While Germany’s new government stated it wanted the country to be home to the first nuclear fusion reactor in the coalition agreement, “it would be nice if it also stated that Germany will be the first country with ten hydrogen-ready gas-fired power plants,” Andreae said.
Germany’s new government has set the goal to build 20 gigawatts (GW) of new gas-fired power plants by 2030 to serve as backup for times of little wind and sunshine. These are needed to secure the country’s electricity system stability, especially in light of Germany’s coal phase out, the government argues. The economy ministry is still in talks with the European Commission regarding state aid it aims to provide to get these plants built. As Germany phases out fossil fuels, the plants could later undergo an extensive retrofit to run on green hydrogen, a clean fuel produced with electricity from renewables and water.
The BDEW head pointed out that next year’s federal budget did not focus enough on ramping up the hydrogen economy. “It is short-sighted to hesitate here,” she said. While Germany would not be self-sufficient for its hydrogen needs, it could focus on reducing dependencies, and seizing on export opportunities for hydrogen plants and storage facilities stemming from the country’s engineering expertise, Andreae added. “The development of the hydrogen economy is not only necessary in terms of climate policy, but also in terms of economic and security policy.”
Andreae called on Germany’s government to lead a European hydrogen alliance, similar to France’s “nuclear alliance”, to push for hydrogen-friendly EU regulations. “Global demand [for green hydrogen] will be enormous, and developing our own renewable energy sources, including [green hydrogen and derivatives], will make Europe more resilient to threats and dependencies,” Andreae said. “The energy transition strengthens our sovereignty.”
Germany’s plans for the ramp-up of a green hydrogen economy has run into significant uncertainties, including over the fuel’s future price, regulation, and the necessary infrastructure development, said the BDEW in a recent report.
