German WindEnergie Association–The Federal WindEnergie Association welcomes the statements on the “National Hydrogen Strategy” in the economic program approved by the Grand Coalition.
The wind industry can make a major contribution to this, explains Wolfram Axthelm, Managing Director of the German WindEnergie Association: “We are demanding that the industrial production of green hydrogen starts as early as 2020. For a quick start, the onshore wind energy capacities falling out of the EEG system from 2021 can be used here . The existing plants should be given the chance to remain in the system for hydrogen production. ”
The Federal Government plans to incentivize plants for the production of up to 5 GW of total hydrogen, including the necessary offshore and onshore energy generation, by 2030. “If the performance of the existing plants for hydrogen production, which will no longer be eligible for EEG funding from 2021, can be used, production could begin promptly. This also allows a time buffer to be opened up until sufficient permits are available for new plants. A win-win situation that maintains the existing systems on the market and enables the hydrogen strategy to be implemented immediately, ”says Wolfram Axthelm.
According to an analysis by the specialist agency Wind on Land, 2021 wind turbines with an output of more than 4,500 megawatts will fall out of EEG funding in a first wave. After that, an additional 2,500 megawatts will fall out of funding annually until 2026.
“The capacity can be used for the immediate start of the Federal Government’s ambitious hydrogen strategy. If existing plants are kept on the market for 5 or 10 years to bring green electricity to electrolysers, this creates a quick and orderly entry into the climate-neutral hydrogen economy. A large pilot project in the north of the Federal Republic would be conceivable, because the northern German states have already presented a solid hydrogen strategy, ”says Wolfram Axthelm.
In the position paper “Wind-to-Gas” , the BWE explained how wind energy can play a key role in coupling sectors and producing hydrogen.
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