Press release, November 20, 2020 – download as pdf

Successful digital premiere for the HYDROGEN DIALOGUE

  • Digital launch with over 700 national and international participants from industry, science and politics
  • More than 30 items on the program with over 45 top-class speakers on the prospects of the hydrogen economy and the role of hydrogen in the energy transition
  • Permanent networking opportunities for the hydrogen community via the event platform

The HYDROGEN DIALOGUE of the NürnbergMesse (the Nuremberg Fair company), with the H2.B as the conceptual sponsor responsible for the program, was launched digitally due to Corona and was realized in 2020 in cooperation with the NUEdialog of the School of Business, Economics and Society (WiSo Nuremberg) of the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU). Over 45 top-class speakers, including the Bavarian State Minister and patron Hubert Aiwanger, the Member of the German Council of Economic Experts and H2.B board member Prof. Veronika Grimm, Schaeffler CEO Klaus Rosenfeld, Prof. Armin Schnettler, CEO New Energy Business at Siemens Energy, and Nuremberg’s mayor Marcus König, met for the first digital hydrogen summit on November 18.

More than 700 national and international participants from the fields of business, politics and science exchanged views on the platform of the HYDROGEN DIALOGUE and presented unique perspectives for the global energy revolution in about 30 lectures.

The Economist Prof. Veronika Grimm, member of the German “five wise persons” and Chairwoman of the Center Hydrogen Bavaria (H2.B), was enthusiastic about the event, which demonstrated the spirit of optimism and the importance of the industry: “The HYDROGEN DIALOGUE brought together an incredible number of hydrogen actors from business, science and politics on the occasion of its digital launch. Now it depends on the implementation of the numerous political initiatives!”

In the view of Nuremberg’s mayor Marcus König, who gave his welcoming speech at the congress in digital form, a platform for exchange is needed right now: “Hydrogen is the central future technology – not only for the companies and research institutions in Nuremberg and the metropolitan region, but also for coping with climate change in general.”

The participants of the hydrogen summit, which was held completely digitally due to the Corona pandemic, are also full of praise: “The density of expertise at this event is remarkable”, said Schaeffler CEO Klaus Rosenfeld. He added that the industry summit brought “all key players together at eye level.” Rosenfeld further emphasized: “The world seems to be united in an unprecedented hydrogen euphoria. We must jointly use this dynamic, this almost historic social consensus for sustainability to finally help hydrogen energy production and storage to achieve a breakthrough.”

Fabian Pfaffenberger, responsible for the program coordination at the H2.B, is pleased about the successful digital premiere: “We have succeeded in putting together a broad program with many top-class speakers from the economy, politics and science. The digital HYDROGEN DIALOGUE was extremely well received by speakers, participants, and exhibitors. We have thus created the basis for a sustainable event format made by the hydrogen community for the hydrogen community. We would like to thank the NürnbergMesse and the School of Business, Economics and Society (WiSo Nuremberg) of the Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU) for the excellent cooperation and of course we would also like to thank our advisory board, our partners, our speakers and exhibitors, without whom the event would not have been so successful”.

Organizers and Partners

The HYDROGEN DIALOGUE & NUEdialogue 2020 took place under the patronage of the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy. In addition to the NürnbergMesse, the organizer is also the Department of Economics and Social Sciences (WiSo Nuremberg) of the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU). The supporting organization of the HYDROGEN DIALOGUE & NUEdialogue is the Center Hydrogen Bavaria (H2.B) with its board members Prof. Dr. Veronika Grimm and Prof. Dr. Peter Wasserscheid. The NUEdialogue itself is an annual scientific congress organized by the WiSo Nuremberg to link businesses and science. In 2021, the NUEdialog will be dedicated to the focus topic “Work in Change”.

About the Hydrogen Center Bavaria (H2.B) and the Hydrogen Alliance Bavaria

In order to consolidate and expand the technological leadership of the Bavarian industry in the future field of the hydrogen economy, the State of Bavaria founded the Hydrogen Center Bavaria (H2.B) in Nuremberg on September 5, 2019. The Center brings together key players from business, science and politics. The medium-term goal is to bring hydrogen technologies to large-scale deployment as a central element of the cross-sectoral energy turnaround.

During the founding event of the H2.B, the Bavarian State Government also established the Bavarian Hydrogen Alliance with key players in a future hydrogen economy. The meanwhile more than 125 alliance partners from industry, science, associations and municipalities declare that they will contribute to strengthening and expanding Bavaria’s technological competence in the field of innovative hydrogen technologies and support the activities of the Hydrogen Center Bavaria.

A first milestone of the Bavarian Hydrogen Alliance was the preparation of a position paper on the Bavarian hydrogen economy as a basis for the Bavarian Hydrogen Strategy of the Free State of Bavaria. This process was coordinated by the Hydrogen Center Bavaria (H2.B) and was concluded with the publication of the position paper on May 29. Based on the position paper, the H2.B is working out a hydrogen roadmap for Bavaria together with the partners in the Bavarian Hydrogen Alliance.