How Germany is targeting climate-neutrality with hydrogen

To achieve this, the focus will continue to be on the accelerated expansion of renewables, among other things. At 32.2%, the energy industry is the biggest source of CO2 emissions in Germany, followed by manufacturing/industrial processes (together 25.3%). In other words, a sector that will herald a green renaissance with the help of renewables and hydrogen.

Not only in Germany but in the whole of Europe until not long ago, hydrogen was still considered more of a “niche technology.” However, things shifted especially after summer 2020, when – thanks to the EU Hydrogen Strategy – hydrogen has become a central component of European climate policies.

German politicians back hydrogen

German politicians have also discovered the topic. As part of its National Hydrogen Strategy (NWS), the German government recently presented 62 projects that are being strategically advanced. However, the political parties have more in mind, as a look at the election programs for the upcoming federal elections shows.

In their hydrogen strategy, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen are focusing on the “prioritisation and a comprehensive funding program to create capacities.” They also call for the creation of an import infrastructure for sectoral structural support.

“More speed with hydrogen” is also what the Free Democrats want to do: for example, they want to establish hydrogen as the “second pillar of the future energy system.” They call for a “European Hydrogen Union” as well as a common EU external energy policy.

The CDU/CSU also want to make Germany the “number one hydrogen country” and see the potential for the country to position itself as a leading hydrogen technology provider. It is strategically wise to focus on cooperation with other countries as well. This is the right approach, because the massive investments needed to “kick-start” hydrogen are difficult for Germany to shoulder alone. If Europe’s engine pulls together, synergies for all are quickly conceivable.

The SPD is quite rightly calling for “more speed in the expansion of hydrogen pipelines” and is counting, among other things, on support for “key industries on their way to climate neutrality and the development and promotion of concrete transformation goals.”

Funding targets must be aligned

Clearly, funding specific technologies will lead to shifts. Issues that will be debated are which stakeholders will be favored by which legislation, or which sector should receive preferential public funding or be favored in the case of private sector investments.

Therefore, one mistake must not be made in the future: Playing off technology A against technology B. Stopping climate change is too serious to allow it to become a pawn of special interests. Unfortunately, these debates are still evident.

However, if we concede that hydrogen fundamentally has an important role to play, we should not exclude its use for certain sectors and areas per se by referring to the current technical status quo. After all, it must be about complementing each other and enabling mutual assets in exactly the right sectors. In certain sectors, such as freight or air transport, for example, hydrogen is more target oriented. While in urban transport, for example, e-cars lend themselves to car-sharing services.

Not repeating past mistakes

There is a huge task on the horizon and , in this context, it is important that past mistakes are not repeated. Projects that build up and further expand industries should be promoted. Germany should become an export hit in the field of climate protection.

This will require staying power: A lot of funding should go into hydrogen production, and then, starting around 2025, when the necessary infrastructure is in place, a slow degression should be started to lower the price of hydrogen.

The pandemic will soon be over, this is a good time to reboot the European economy. It is therefore time to give every sector, every country and every society access to hydrogen in the name of climate protection.

The transition to a fast, affordable as well as clean energy transition, the securing and creation of new jobs in Germany, but also all over Europe, are aspects that should be in focus.

In the end, the market and the sheer volume and availability of hydrogen will determine which sectors of the economy will use it.

It is now time for Germany to join forces in the fight against climate change. Only in this way will Germany succeed in becoming a sustainable, clean industrial location with and within Europe, presenting itself as a global “beacon” for a bold energy transition.