Hamburg is nurturing ambitions to become Europe’s leading hydrogen center by the end of the decade.
As part of these plans, the German Hanseatic city plans to upgrade its port, which would include new pipelines and additional storage capacity. The aim is to make Hamburg a major entry point for the import of sustainable hydrogen from abroad.
The plan was presented by the local Behörde für Wirtschaft und Innovation, which wants to further strengthen the city’s current position in the hydrogen industry.
National hydrogen strategy
While there are plans to increase local production capacity to 550 megawatts by the end of this decade, city authorities argue that demand for the product will only increase in the future.
Moreover, the plan aims to integrate Hamburg into Germany’s national infrastructure, while the city also wants to help fill the European demand for hydrogen as an international hub.
Germany released its national hydrogen strategy two years ago. Since then, several regions – especially in northern regions of the country – have tried to build a central position in the adoption of the activity.
Among other things, a large hydrogen plant, with an investment of 2.5 billion euros, is coming to Wilhelmshaven. The plants should be able to cover up to 10 percent of Germany’s energy needs. On the other hand, Bremen has signed a cooperation agreement with the Dutch city of Groningen. In doing so, the two parties want to share experiences and resources in the development of renewable energy sources.
In the hydrogen industry, the Port of Hamburg wants to establish cooperation agreements with exporting countries. In addition, the city wants to further expand local capacity for the storage and transport of the product. In doing so, Hamburg wants to build on a memorandum signed with Scotland at the end of November last year.
That memorandum promises to further expand cooperation and trade in the field of sustainable hydrogen. Now the authorities are looking at the possibility of concluding similar agreements with countries such as Denmark, Norway, Australia or Chile, among others.
European financing platform
Initially, a thorough analysis of the opportunities for the hydrogen industry in northern Germany will be made. In addition, potential demand and available import capacity will also be considered.
Subsequently, the establishment of a European financing platform, focused on investments in hydrogen, would be considered. This will include looking at opportunities in the area of public funding.
Hamburg also hopes to conclude an agreement in principle with at least six other countries or foreign regions by the middle of this decade to increase the production of hydrogen. Furthermore, in addition to building pipelines, the local authorities want to make existing rail links suitable for transport.
A feasibility study will be launched next year. Hamburg and the German state of Schleswig-Holstein are also preparing to enter into discussions on the development of a network of pipelines for the import of sustainable hydrogen. Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein are also pursuing a connection to the Danish pipeline network.
