German hydrogen strategy revision aims to solidify target to double electrolysis capacity by 2030 - media

The German economy ministry (BMWK) aims to solidify targets to double the country’s electrolysis capacity - which is needed to split water into hydrogen and oxygen - by 2030 by revising its National Hydrogen Strategy ahead of schedule, newspaper Tagesspiegel Background reports. Going over the strategy, which was introduced in 2020, the economy ministry aims to reinforce a target of building generation plants with a total capacity of ten gigawatts (GW) by 2030 as stated in the government's coalition agreement, according to a draft seen by the newspaper. Blue hydrogen (H2 produced from natural gas where the carbon is captured) would be considered for some time in the revised strategy, Tagesspiegel Background reports. During a transitional period, "blue hydrogen will also have to be supported and imported," says the strategy.

The National Hydrogen Strategy is due for revision every three years, but with a change of government and the energy crisis occurring since its introduction, the economy ministry is revisiting the strategy ahead of schedule and plans for the new strategy to be adopted in January 2023. The revision also includes plans for new national pipelines, hydrogen storage concepts, import strategies and international hydrogen infrastructure. Hydrogen made with renewable electricity (so-called green hydrogen) has emerged as a key fuel to reach net-zero climate targets. The climate-neutral gas looks set to become the technology of choice to decarbonise sectors where emission reductions are particularly difficult, for example in heavy industry and aviation.