Germany’s push towards integrating green hydrogen into its energy portfolio has been highlighted by a recent study from Berlin-based think tanks Agora Energiewende and Agora Industrie.
According to the study, Germany could import up to 100 terawatt hours (TWh) of green hydrogen annually by the mid-2030s, covering a significant portion of its projected energy demand. This ambitious plan is part of Berlin’s broader strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in hard-to-electrify industrial sectors and lessen reliance on imported fossil fuels.
Presently, Germany consumes approximately 55-60 TWh of hydrogen per year, primarily produced from fossil fuels. To meet its climate goals, the country aims to significantly increase its hydrogen usage, targeting 95 TWh to 130 TWh by 2030. The study suggests that Germany could produce 11 TWh of hydrogen domestically by 2030 and import about 17 TWh of green hydrogen and 15 TWh of blue hydrogen, the latter being derived from natural gas.
Despite these efforts, domestic production and initial imports would still fall short of meeting the total projected demand. This gap highlights the critical role of imports via pipelines from neighboring countries, leveraging existing natural gas infrastructure to potentially increase imports to 60 TWh to 100 TWh by 2035.
To achieve climate neutrality, Germany needs a secure and cost-effective supply of renewable hydrogen. Simon Mueller, director of Agora Energiewende, emphasizes the importance of pipeline imports from Europe in this strategy. However, realizing this potential requires robust financing models and agreements on cost sharing among involved countries. This is essential to ensure the delivery of necessary quantities of green hydrogen within the next decade.
When compared to industry benchmarks, Germany’s hydrogen strategy reflects a broader global trend towards adopting green hydrogen as a clean energy source. Countries like Japan and South Korea have also set ambitious hydrogen targets, focusing on both production and importation to meet their energy needs. However, Germany’s reliance on imports underscores its limited renewable energy resources compared to these nations, highlighting the need for international cooperation and robust infrastructure development.
