Press release, 3 May, 2023

“Australian-Bavarian Hydrogen Round Table” on May 2 in Munich with almost 70 H2 stakeholders shows a lot of potential for cooperation opportunities

MUNICH – On the occasion of the delegation trip of Australian business and government representatives to Germany, a Bavarian-Australian round table discussion was held yesterday at the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs. The Australian-Bavarian Hydrogen Round Table followed by networking focused on exploring opportunities for bilateral hydrogen cooperation, in particular the import of hydrogen from Australia to Bavaria and the supply of technology, products and know-how from Bavaria to Australia. Nearly 70 H2 stakeholders from Bavaria and Australia discussed with Bavarian Minister of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy and Deputy Bavarian Prime Minister Aiwanger, H2.B Board of Directors Prof. Wasserscheid, Catherine Zerger (Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water), Fiona Simon (Australian Hydrogen Council) and Florence Lindhaus (German-Australian Chamber of Industry and Commerce). Numerous partners from the Hydrogen Alliance Bavaria were also represented on site.

Bavarian Minister of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy and Deputy Bavarian Prime Minister Hubert Aiwanger said: “Especially for Bavaria as an economically strong location with chemical industry and refineries, a reliable supply of hydrogen is crucial. We will not be able to cover the required quantities of hydrogen from domestic production, but will have to rely on imports. Australia has great potential as a producer of green hydrogen and can therefore become an important partner for Bavaria.”

H2.B Board of Directors Prof. Peter Wasserscheid emphasizes, “The cooperation of Australian and Bavarian hydrogen actors shows very high potential: Bavaria can provide technological know-how and products for the implementation of large H2 production projects in Australia, but also contribute to the transformation of the Australian economy. Australia, in turn, has the best prerequisites to become a globally active producer of green hydrogen and green hydrogen derivatives. These are products that Bavaria will need in the future. The good exchange at the Australian-Bavarian Hydrogen Round Table makes us confident that cooperation in these important future fields will soon pick up significantly.”

The event was organized by the Hydrogen Center Bavaria (H2.B) in cooperation with the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs (StMWi), the Chamber of Industry and Commerce for Munich and Upper Bavaria and the organizers of the delegation trip, AHK Australia and RENAC AG.

The participants of the Australian delegation are representatives of the largest hydrogen projects in Australia as well as of federal and state governments. The trip was commissioned by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Change (BMWK) with the aim of bringing Australian experts together with leading German companies, government representatives and associations in order to deepen the dialogue and cooperation around the ramp-up of the hydrogen market.

There is already cooperation between the two countries: Siemens Energy is currently operating Australia’s largest electrolyzer to date at Hydrogen Park South Australia.