MUNICH– Bavaria’s Minister of Economic Affairs Hubert Aiwanger was disappointed that the federal government has postponed the adoption of a national hydrogen strategy again this week.
Aiwanger said, “The federal government is simply not coming to the end. The hydrogen strategy has been postponed for months now. A German strategy and funding programs would be important to drive the energy transition forward and to position Germany ambitiously with the energy source of the future.”
The economics minister announced his own Bavarian hydrogen strategy, which he presented in Nuremberg on Friday.
Aiwanger: “While a senseless dispute is raging in Berlin about how much hydrogen Germany should produce and how much is imported, the state government is leading the way and laying the groundwork for clean energy and strengthening Bavaria as a high-tech location.”
Bavarian hydrogen strategy relies on technology leadership
Aiwanger: “Made in Bavaria becomes a hydrogen seal of approval”
Bavaria’s Economics and Energy Minister Hubert Aiwanger presented the Bavarian hydrogen strategy. After that, the Free State wants to develop into a global H2 technology leader. Aiwanger: “Made in Bavaria should become a hydrogen seal of approval. With our outstanding researchers and innovative tech companies, we will develop a hydrogen economy that strengthens Bavaria as a high-tech location, creates jobs and, last but not least, supports the transformation process of the Bavarian vehicle and supplier industry. ”
Hydrogen (H2) and Bavarian innovative power should ensure prosperity in the network and at the same time advance the phase-out of using fossil fuels. The aim is to divide the work between the technology country of Bavaria and regions that produce green hydrogen. “We want to develop the world’s leading hydrogen technologies. Our future partners will then use our innovations thanks to the almost unlimited availability of renewable energies such as sun and wind for the generation, transport, and use of green hydrogen, ”explained Aiwanger.
Green hydrogen is the energy source of the future. Aiwanger: “To achieve our climate goals, we need the energy and mobility transition. Hydrogen plays a special role because it can be used in many different ways without emissions. In this way, H2 is helping to switch industry, transport, and heat supply to renewable energies. ”
Bavaria has already set an important course in the past year. In September 2019, the state government founded the Zentrum Hydrogen.Bayern (H2.B) and founded the Bavarian Hydrogen Alliance with over 30 partners from business, science, and associations. Aiwanger: “This gives the Free State a powerful network under the leadership of renowned professors Veronika Grimm and Peter Wasserscheid, which is growing steadily and driving the hydrogen economy forward.”
At the same time, Bavaria is laying the foundation for hydrogen innovations with a series of new research projects – for example, for more powerful fuel cells for heavy vehicles or for the production of hydrogen from residual and waste materials. Building on Bavaria’s high-tech strengths, the strategic direction is divided into three pillars:
1. Innovation and technology leadership are striven for in order to tap and expand worldwide market potential. The core is a research campaign “H2 Hightech Bavaria”, with which hydrogen research is strengthened by realigning and bundling the competencies available throughout Bavaria.
2. Industrial scaling and economy should be accelerated. With development, test and user facilities, innovative Bavarian companies and research organizations will advance industrial development. Bavaria’s powerful supplier industry offers the best conditions for this.
3. The aim is to accelerate hydrogen applications in transport and industry as well as the expansion of the H2 infrastructure. As a basis, 100 H2 filling stations are to be built across Bavaria in the next few years. To this end, the Ministry of Economic Affairs has launched a funding program worth 50 million euros as part of the high-tech agenda. The establishment of public and company H2 filling stations for fuel cell buses and trucks / commercial vehicles is supported.
To activate the market, the state government will also promote combined electrolysis systems and fuel cell vehicles such as buses and commercial vehicles/trucks. Above all, this should create new value creation opportunities for petrol station locations in a wide area: at municipal depots, at municipal utilities, for fleet and bus companies. In addition, the world’s first LOHC filling station in Erlangen is slated to go into operation in 2021. This year, for the first time, innovative Bavarian fuel cell technology will be driving a converted prototype truck on Bavaria’s roads.
Based on the strategy, the H2.B in Nuremberg will develop a “Hydrogen Roadmap Bavaria” for the period up to 2025. With this concrete road map, the experts further develop the goals and measures of the Bavarian hydrogen strategy by monitoring and assessing market developments.
Aiwanger: “The Bavarian hydrogen strategy is based on the innovative strength and technological strength of the Free State. We will bundle and promote all sensible high-tech initiatives. This makes Bavaria one of the world’s leading hydrogen countries. This benefits people and the environment because it creates jobs and accelerates the phase-out of fossil energy use. I hope that the federal government will also take decisions in a timely manner to promote the hydrogen economy in Germany and beyond. ”
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