Hydrogen technologies are an essential part of the energy transition. The Ukraine war and gas crisis have increased interest in them even more. An interactive map now shows locations for green hydrogen in Germany.
Last week, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Regensburg (OTH Regensburg) presented a hydrogen atlas for Germany. Hydrogen has long been considered a key technology for an energy system based on renewables. As an alternative to natural gas, hydrogen could also become crucial in the gas crisis. The location of hydrogen production is crucial for climate-friendly implementation.
The interactive website shows where hydrogen is already being produced and used. It shows where pilot projects are being implemented, what progress is being made, and also where there is potential for expanding hydrogen production. The information is detailed and available for all regional levels in Germany. The project was funded by the federal government and is freely accessible.
Identifying opportunities for hydrogen production
Estimates of the consumption, costs and emission reductions of various hydrogen applications are intended to simplify concrete technical planning procedures. The goal is to provide project planners, municipalities, public utilities, investors and other decision-makers with a comprehensive picture around the hydrogen economy.
Power-to-X plants have been recorded in Germany since 2012 and can now be found in the hydrogen atlas. In addition, all value chains for green hydrogen are also presented regionally. This means that hydrogen can be compared directly with fossil fuels for each location and includes everything from the avoidance of CO2 emissions to employment potential.
Producing hydrogen on site
Project manager Michael Sterner emphasizes that renewable electricity and hydrogen, as well as their downstream products, are needed for supply security and climate neutrality. “In this way, we are enabling the regions and Germany as a whole to become less dependent on imported gas and oil. With the atlas, we are bringing knowledge to a broad audience and facilitating concrete planning. The atlas shows the technical hydrogen potential minus the local electricity demand and also makes the market ramp-up visible.” He estimates that Germany could convert up to 786 terawatt hours of surplus green electricity into hydrogen annually by 2040.
“We want to make Germany a hydrogen republic,” affirms Federal Research Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger. “At a time when gas storage levels are something like the new incidence value, it’s important to talk about our energy supply.” Stark-Watzinger called dependence on Russian gas a historic mistake.
