Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria are joining forces to further strengthen themselves as technology locations for hydrogen. The prime ministers of both countries stressed the importance of “green” hydrogen, which is produced climate-neutrally from renewable electricity, as an energy carrier of the future.
With the establishment of a hydrogen alliance, Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria want to network more closely in the future and be pioneers on a national and international level in hydrogen and fuel cell technology.
At a joint press conference, the prime ministers of both countries stressed the importance of “green” hydrogen, which is produced climate-neutrally from renewable electricity, as an energy carrier of the future.
Further strengthening technology locations for hydrogen and fuel cells
Winfried Kretschmann, Prime minister said:
One of the many lessons we have learned from the brutal Russian War of Aggression We see how time-consuming, difficult and sometimes impossible it is to make short-term course corrections in the field of energy.
“That is why we must already set the decisive course for the market ramp-up of pipeline infrastructure today. Hydrogen put. Time is pressing so that we do not find ourselves in a hydrogen shortage in the future after the gas shortage.”
“And one demand is central to this: hydrogen must arrive where it is particularly needed in Germany: in the industrial centers, which include Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. That is why Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria are joining forces to further strengthen themselves as technology locations for hydrogen and fuel cells.”
“Our renowned research and development facilities as well as the high technological competence and innovative strength of our companies offer excellent opportunities for this.”
Dr. Markus Söder, Bavaria’s Prime Minister said:
For the future of energy supply, we need close cross-border partnerships.
“The supply of the south with hydrogen, but also with gas, is of crucial importance for the whole of Germany. We will not allow the South to be disadvantaged – be it in terms of hydrogen, gas connections or pipelines.”
“If the South is left behind, Germany’s future is at stake. We have therefore launched the Hydrogen Alliance. That’s what our ‘southern rail’ Bavaria/Baden-Württemberg is made for. Germany’s most important industrial regions must not be left behind when it comes to hydrogen in the future.”
With the hydrogen alliance that has now been adopted, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg want to advance joint projects in the field of product and manufacturing technologies for electrolyser components, among other things.
In addition, the countries seek closer cooperation between the Zentrum Wasserstoff.Bayern (H2. B) and the Hydrogen platform H2BW in Baden-Württemberg as well as a stabilization of the project that began in Ulm on 27 June 2022 Hydrogen Country Dialogue at.
The further establishment and expansion of joint industrial cooperation and in-depth cooperation in the planning of a supra-regional hydrogen filling station network are also being examined.
Priority for network infrastructure and new line capacities
Both Prime Ministers call for the rapid establishment of a national and European hydrogen network as well as a rapid and priority connection of industrial sites such as Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria by 2030 at the latest.
However, one should not only rely on a direct connection from the north, but also new and above all direct line capacities from the south – for example Italy – to Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria should be included in the grid planning as a matter of urgency.
In addition, it is necessary to diversify the sources of supply and transport routes in order to achieve a high resilience of the economy and the energy supply. This is not least one of the central lessons from Corona crisis and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
For the climate-neutral restructuring of the economy, companies must be able to switch quickly to green hydrogen, Kretschmann stressed. Therefore, Baden-Württemberg already in December 2020 had a Hydrogen Roadmap on the way.
In central lighthouse projects, the economic implementation of a hydrogen economy is already being tested in reality, for example in the model region Hy-FIVE in the southeast of the country, or in the project H2 GeNeSiS in the greater Stuttgart area, where a central hydrogen pipeline along the Neckar river offers many opportunities for the application of hydrogen for districts, industry-related companies and mobility.
Baden-Württemberg also plays a leading role in research and technology development. In total, funding of up to 500 million euros would be available for this in the coming years.
Bavaria also recognized the challenges early on and already decided on its own hydrogen strategy in May 2020 before the federal government and with the Zentrum Wasserstoff.Bayern (H2. B) and the hydrogen alliance located there created a nucleus for the Bavarian hydrogen economy.
Overall, the Free State of Bavaria is supporting the necessary ramp-up of the hydrogen economy in the coming years with around 500 million euros.
In the research area, these efforts are complemented by the so-called “hydrogen bridge”, an alliance of the Technical University of Munich, the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, the Helmholtz Institute Erlangen-Nuremberg for Renewable Energies and other institutions.
In addition, in April 2022, the Free State will have its own Hydrogen Roadmap , in particular in order to be able to estimate the future demand for hydrogen.
Source: Baden-Württemberg
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