The German government is drawing a positive interim balance a year after launching its “National Hydrogen Strategy.”
According to a first interim report to be accepted this Wednesday by the Federal Cabinet, the strategy has been actively pursued, and major foundations for industrial investments and research projects have been laid.
It mentions 62 “large-scale hydrogen projects” that would get a total of eight billion euros in funding. These are initiatives for hydrogen generation, transportation, and industrial uses. “We’ve started big undertakings in a lot of sectors,” said dpa Education Minister Anja Karliczek (CDU). However, it is apparent that, in the next years, the rate of transition to a green hydrogen economy must be accelerated.
Stefan Kaufmann (CDU), the Federal Government’s Hydrogen Commissioner, has likewise urged for more efforts. Much more has to be done, he told dpa, in order to become the “leading market and leading provider of green hydrogen technology” globally. Kaufmann advocated for a “priority for investments in new hydrogen solutions in licensing and regulatory law,” as well as an urgent program with model areas for green hydrogen.
The strategy was approved by the federal government in June 2020. It includes billions in subsidies, legislative reforms, and specific output objectives. The focus is on so-called green hydrogen, which is made entirely from renewable energy sources. It may be used to create fuels that can be used to replace coal, oil, and natural gas in industries and transportation, for example.
