As part of the Energiewende, Germany’s transition to non-nuclear, sustainable power sources, the Ministry of Education and Research will pump at least EUR 300 million more into research on green hydrogen by 2023.“We will increase the intensity of our research into green hydrogen, that is, hydrogen produced by the sun and wind,” said Federal Minister of Education and Research Anja Karliczek.
According to Minister Karliczek, green hydrogen is the “energy carrier of the future and a key foundation needed for us to meet our climate goals.” EUR 180 million in ministry funds were already allocated to such research in the coming years. The new influx of funds comes after the government cabinet approved its draft legislative “climate package.”
In July, Federal Economic Affairs and Energy Minister Peter Altmaier announced EUR 300 million of his own to support hydrogen research and has promised that Germany will become the “world number one” in hydrogen technologies.
By the end of this year, the government will decide on a hydrogen strategy with which we will create the conditions enabling businesses to further develop its industrial potential, Minister Altmaier said on October 9, 2019.
Power-to-gas and hydrogen key for energy storage and mobility
With both announcements made on October 9, 2019, the two ministries have pledged some EUR 780 million in total to this research.
Hydrogen technologies offer enormous potential for the Energiewende, climate protection, and new jobs. This initiative shows how serious Germany is about supporting this technology. It should provide a major boost to this sector, commented Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI) Director of Energy, Construction and Environmental Technologies Esther Frey.
According to GTAI, the foreign trade and inward investment agency of the Federal Republic of Germany, around 300 German companies – from the automotive and supplier industries, utility providers, specialty chemical industry, and machinery and equipment producers – have plans to invest more than EUR 2 billion through to 2024 in order to activate the market for sustainable, secure and economic hydrogen mobility.
Hydrogen and power-to-gas technologies occupy a prominent place in the long-term energy storage plans and future mobility and fuel strategy of the German government. Large amounts of surplus energy from fluctuating renewable sources can be stored as hydrogen gas in the country’s extensive gas grid.
There are currently 54 hydrogen fueling stations in operation and 40 under construction. By 2023, the stated objective is to have 400 hydrogen filling stations across Germany in operation.
