German Finance Minister Christian Lindner told Reuters that we require hydrogen in all shades in response to a dispute taking place in Brussels over hydrogen produced by nuclear vs renewable energy.
As they consider the potential significance of hydrogen in decarbonizing the economy and lowering dependency on imported fossil fuels, nations in the European Union are having trouble reaching an agreement on how to produce hydrogen.
The disagreement over whether to give preference to low-carbon hydrogen produced with nuclear energy or hydrogen created using renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, has delayed negotiations on new EU renewable energy standards and put a multibillion-euro hydrogen pipeline in peril.
While hydrogen produced using renewable energy is superior in the long run, he asserted, the EU must first establish a market system with a reliable supply at affordable prices.
The issue is contentious not only within Europe but also within Germany, where opposition to nuclear energy is still strong, despite claims by some politicians that expanding nuclear energy use is necessary now that the nation can no longer rely on the Russian pipeline gas that fueled the economy for decades.
France, which heavily relies on nuclear energy, is spearheading the charge to emphasize nuclear energy’s contribution to lowering CO2 emissions during EU negotiations.
