Press release, June 10, 2020 – download as PDF
National hydrogen strategy adopted – Future opportunities for Bavaria’s industry, research institutions and local authorities
- Bavaria is excellently positioned with its leading research institutions and companies in the hydrogen sector
- Partners in the Bavarian Hydrogen Alliance are important players for the implementation of the strategy
- Investment and innovation offensive as an important signal for Bavarian industry and science
The National Hydrogen Strategy (Nationale Wasserstoffstrategie, NWS) published on Wednesday is a groundbreaking step towards a climate-neutral economy and society and provides important impulses to strengthen the economy, research institutions and local authorities in Bavaria and throughout Germany. In recent years, research institutions and industry in the Free State of Bavaria have laid the foundations to be among the pioneers in the field of innovative technologies for the hydrogen economy and hydrogen-based mobility of tomorrow. In a strategy process coordinated by the Hydrogen Center Bavaria (H2.B), the expertise of numerous players in the Bavarian Hydrogen Alliance has been bundled since mid-2019. At the end of May 2020, a position paper of Bavarian actors from industry, science and the municipalities was presented, which identifies central fields of action and has been incorporated into the Bavarian Hydrogen Strategy. Besides the Bavarian strategy process and networking, numerous demonstration projects form an important pillar of activities. These activities can now be implemented on an ambitious timeline thanks to the extensive investment programmes and innovation incentives at German state and national level. The decisive factor here is the successful cooperation between the German state and national governments, which is also emphasised in the National Hydrogen Strategy.
Strengthening Bavarian research activities
The broadly conceived research offensive “Hydrogen Technologies 2030”, which, among other things, is creating innovation-friendly framework conditions with new real laboratories, feasibility studies and a new research network, and which will accelerate the market entry of hydrogen technologies, is to be welcomed. The numerous renowned Bavarian research institutions will use this research offensive to develop and advance further important technologies in the field of hydrogen research.
“The description of the fields of action and future markets in the National Hydrogen Strategy results in a conclusive overall picture, which has already been pointed out in the Bavarian Hydrogen Strategy before”, says H2.B board member Prof. Peter Wasserscheid. “Here it is a question of cost-effective production of green hydrogen and its use in the transport, industry and heating market sectors. A strong domestic market for technology demonstration is important and provides the basis for a worldwide technology export. In the midterm, there will be a significant import of hydrogen from preferred regions for renewable energy to Bavaria and Germany and a global trade in renewable energy equivalents via hydrogen will develop. Innovative transport and distribution technologies for hydrogen play a very important role in this context. Substantial and targeted investments in education, research, innovation and the development of corresponding infrastructures are necessary to achieve the goals of the presented strategy in a sustainable way.”
Rapid implementation required for market ramp-up
The intended adjustments to the energy policy framework, which are to be tackled, for example, by exempting electrolysis plants from the EEG levy, are particularly important for extensive sector coupling and thus the cost-effective production of hydrogen and synthetic base and fuel materials in Germany as well. In its position paper about the Bavarian hydrogen economy, the Bavarian Hydrogen Alliance also calls for a fundamental revision of the system of levies and charges in the electricity sector.
“The National Hydrogen Strategy marks a turning point in German energy and climate policy and opens up extensive future opportunities for the industry in Bavaria, Germany and Europe”, said H2.B board member Veronika Grimm. “It is important to develop an entire value chain for the hydrogen economy, from production to logistics and to applications. Low taxes and charges on the electricity price and gradually rising prices for CO2 emissions will be of special importance during the ramp-up of these many possible business fields, because, in this way, the comparative advantage of the technologies in climate protection can also be converted into attractive business models. In addition, there are other important fields of action: public and private investments in infrastructure, the testing of technologies and business models in real-world laboratories, cooperations in Europe and beyond. A cooperative interaction of activities at the German state, national and European level will be crucial. We will do our part to achieve this.”
The position paper of the Bavarian Hydrogen Alliance on a Bavarian hydrogen economy can be found on: www.h2.bayern/positionspapier
Photo: H2.B / Giulia Iannicelli
