Hydrogen and Wind Energy Belong Together

Bremerhaven–The production of hydrogen for storing and transporting electricity from wind energy is an important topic in the northwest region of Germany. Green hydrogen from wind power has great potential, especially for energy system transformation and sector coupling. For this reason, WAB and H2BX have jointly set up the Hydrogen Working Group. At the kick-off meeting of the joint working group, a cooperation agreement was signed as an expression of the close cooperation between WAB and H2BX.

To achieve an emission-free future, further expansion of wind power is essential. Hydrogen production from wind power will play an elementary role, especially in the context of sector coupling. Due to the close connection of both technologies, the WAB and H2BX have invited to the first kick-off meeting of the Working Group Hydrogen. Claas Schott, Chairman of H2BX, said during the kick-off meeting: “It is a very good sign that many representatives of different companies from both networks met here today. During the meeting, the willingness to cooperate on a supra-regional level in order to tap the potential for the entire North German region became clear. This will have also further positive effects on the already existing and in the future to be established creation of value chains of the renewable energies. Future cooperation must not fail because of national borders or individual interests. We can only manage to create a region together that is worth living and loving for the people.”

In the course of the meeting, there was a lively exchange between the 30 participants about future objectives, topics and challenges. The first meeting already led to a comprehensive program for the new working group. From topics such as profitability, market and application in combination with onshore and offshore wind energy to concrete proposals for practical research approaches, the interests of the participants were varied.

WAB Managing Director Heike Winkler sums up the results of the meeting: “We are pleased that many representatives from the region who deal with wind power and hydrogen were able to participate. Together with the participants from industry and research, we want to establish a results-oriented exchange platform in the context of wind power. The start and future tasks are promising. With regard to hydrogen production, it is once again clear that more wind energy is needed on land and at sea”.

Annette Schimmel, Project Manager for the Green Economy project at the bis Bremerhaven and participant of the meeting, sees the great potential of hydrogen for Bremerhaven: “The Bremerhaven Economic Development Agency is currently systematically developing the topic of “hydrogen”. The further development and expansion of the “wind energy” value chain can create new jobs at the location, which have been lost due to market conditions due to the reduction of the expansion targets for wind energy at sea. We are confident that we will succeed in this, especially thanks to the scientific competence on-site with Fraunhofer IWES and the Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences”.

The next date of the Hydrogen Working Group will be announced soon. Registration will be possible via the WAB homepage.

About WAB

WAB is the leading business network for wind energy in the north-west region and nationwide contact partner for the offshore wind energy industry in Germany. The association comprises more than 260 businesses and institutes from all sectors of the wind energy industry, the maritime industry as well as research.

About H2BX

The association “Wasserstoff für die Region Bremerhaven e.V.” – H2BX was founded as a network for the establishment of hydrogen technology in the Bremerhaven region. A supraregional network is growing under the umbrella of the association. Its core task is to communicate the technological, ecological and economic aspects of hydrogen, as well as the networking of various actors. Currently, more than 90 members from various fields belong to the association.