UPDATED 1 Sept: The EI library in London is temporarily closed to the public, as a precautionary measure in light of the ongoing COVID-19 situation. The Knowledge Service will still be answering email queries via email , or via live chats during working hours (09:15-17:00 GMT). Our e-library is always open for members here: eLibrary , for full-text access to over 200 e-books and millions of articles. Thank you for your patience.
New Energy World™
New Energy World™ embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low-carbon technologies.
Green hydrogen hub takes shape in northern Germany
17/7/2024
8 min read
Feature
Germany’s five northern states of Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony) and Schleswig-Holstein have set ambitious goals for green hydrogen development. In view of climate change and the reduction of fossil fuel resources, such as oil and gas, green hydrogen is increasingly set to become a source of energy and hope for a more sustainable world. Heike Tipmonta, Director Business Services, Hamburg Invest and HY-5 representative, describes the wide-ranging initiatives forming the HY-5 North German Green Hydrogen Strategy.
There is reason enough for the northern German states to drive the hydrogen economy forward, given that they have a virtually inexhaustible supply of renewable energy. Thanks to 2,400 km of coastline, numerous onshore and offshore wind turbines, and a high number of solar generators, they are the largest producers of green energy in Germany.
This is why the business development organisations of the five northern states joined forces in 2020 to make better use of this excess of green energy by forming the green hydrogen initiative HY-5. It aims to turn northern Germany into a powerful emerging region for green hydrogen in the heart of Europe, supporting both the German National Hydrogen Strategy as well as the North German Hydrogen Strategy. As part of the European Hydrogen Backbone, a network connecting important hubs and cities, the region is well on track to achieve the goals that have been set.
The business development organisations of the five northern states [in Germany] joined forces in 2020 to make better use of this excess of green energy by forming the green hydrogen initiative HY-5.
Long-standing expertise
The conditions are ideal as the projects can rely on a strong economic backbone and a wealth of knowledge. Equal in size to Denmark and the Netherlands combined, the five states are home to 15 million people who generate a gross domestic product (GDP) of around €625mn, which would put the region in eighth place in a European Union (EU) country ranking.