German gov't doubles 2030 target for hydrogen production

BERLIN, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Germany aims to significantly accelerate the market ramp-up of hydrogen as part of an update to its National Hydrogen Strategy, doubling the target for domestic electrolysis capacity in 2030 to at least 10 gigawatts (GW).

The new hydrogen strategy unveiled on Wednesday would be further developed to meet the "increased level of ambition in climate protection and the new challenges in the energy market," the Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) said in a statement.

Germany's hydrogen demand is expected to reach 130 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2030. As 50 percent to 70 percent of this amount would have to be obtained from abroad, the government is already working on an import strategy to close the gap.

At the same time, Germany is creating an "efficient hydrogen infrastructure" by converting and building more than 1,800 kilometers of pipelines for its hydrogen network by 2027-2028. The project is funded by the European Union (EU) as an Important Project of Common European Interest.

"Investing in hydrogen is investing in our future, in climate protection, in qualified jobs, and in energy supply security," Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck said in a statement.

Europe's largest economy aims to reach climate neutrality by 2045, five years ahead of the EU target. Towards this goal, hydrogen, the combustion of which releases only water, is intended to help reduce CO2 emissions.

German industry welcomed the update of the country's hydrogen strategy. The move was "long overdue given the developments in the energy markets and the changing framework conditions," said Holger Loesch, deputy general manager of the Federation of German Industries (BDI).

With its updated hydrogen strategy, Germany would signal its partner countries that "we do not only want to import hydrogen reliably, but also help ensure that the new hydrogen supply chains also lead to good, sustainable development," German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Svenja Schulze said.