Energy Manager Katherina Reiche held discussions with Ambassadors Philip Green (Australia, left) and Arif Havas Oegroseno (Indonesia).
(Photo: Photo Vogt)
meal With the planned ramp-up of a climate-friendly hydrogen economy, Germany is attracting interest from abroad. At the Handelsblatt hydrogen summit on Thursday in Essen, several ambassadors solicited partnerships.
The Australian Ambassador Philip Green said: “We have the mutual advantage that we are a potential major exporter of hydrogen and Germany is a likely major importer.” The fact that planners of hydrogen sites in Australia always talked about the same group of German companies also speaks for future cooperation who could provide the necessary technology.
Many experts do not assume that Germany will be able to cover its need for green hydrogen for industry and transport itself. Because Germany does not have enough land to produce wind and solar power, which is then used to produce hydrogen. Germany will have to import up to 80 percent and is looking for cooperation with some distant countries.
Australia is particularly hopeful. The Australian entrepreneur Andrew Forrest wants to produce green hydrogen on a large industrial scale from 2023 and be able to deliver at least 15 million tons by 2030, as he recently told the Handelsblatt.
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According to the German hydrogen strategy, the target for production in Germany by 2030 is only an annual production of 500,000 tons of green hydrogen.
At the end of May, Federal Research Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger (FDP) traveled to Australia with a large delegation to a hydrogen conference. Australian Ambassador Green said: “We were delighted that Bettina Stark-Watzinger came to the Australian Hydrogen Conference, bringing with her the largest delegation of any visiting country. Germany has etched itself into our memories.”
“We want to produce in strategically favorable locations”
Indonesia also expressed interest at the Handelsblatt Hydrogen Summit: Ambassador Arif Havas Oegroseno said that Indonesia had capacities for the production of renewable energies of 474 gigawatts and wanted to expand them further – a clear surplus of renewable energy. “That’s why we need investments from Germany,” said Oegroseno. One is already in advanced talks with a German investor.
Indonesia is one of the largest CO2 emitters in the world and mainly exports coal. The country is discovering eco-investments as a pillar of the economy and is hoping for billions from abroad.
But there is also criticism of the idea of importing large quantities of hydrogen. Andreas Schierenbeck, co-founder of the company HH2E and former CEO of the gas company Uniper, said at the Handelsblatt summit: “We want to produce in Germany at locations that are strategically favorable.” HH2E has ambitious plans for starting the production of green hydrogen on an industrial scale.
Although Schierenbeck restricted: “Of course we will also need imports.” However, he warned that Germany has not yet been able to import green hydrogen directly. There is only one hydrogen tanker, and it sails between Australia and Japan.
Currently, hydrogen is otherwise converted for transport. “If we produce ammonia from green hydrogen, then transport it and then break it down again into hydrogen, that’s an insane amount of energy,” says Schierenbeck. One kilogram of ammonia transports just 180 grams of hydrogen.
“Above all, we need to think in gigawatts”
Large parts of German industry need ammonia, for example for the production of fertilizers. When it comes to the energy transition, however, hydrogen itself is essential.
Schierenbeck received support from Stefan Kaufmann, the innovation officer for green hydrogen in the Federal Ministry of Research. He said the federal government is planning to import hydrogen, for example from Australia, the Gulf region and Saudi Arabia, Scotland or Ireland. But: “We talk a lot about a global hydrogen economy and imports, but we also need decentralized, local projects in Germany to get the ramp up.”
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Kaufmann also said that in order to tackle the hydrogen ramp-up, you first need transport options and the necessary infrastructure. And: “Above all, we need to think in terms of gigawatts.” Australia has great potential – but so far the largest electrolyser in operation there has only had a capacity of ten megawatts.
Katherina Reiche, Chairwoman of the National Hydrogen Council, said: “We have a strong and innovative industry in Germany.” This includes both corporations such as Thyssen-Krupp with its hydrogen subsidiary Nucera and start-ups such as Enapter. In addition to international cooperation, politics should also focus on creating a political framework for hydrogen and promoting it financially.
Reiche criticized that the hydrogen in the “Easter package” had been neglected and that funding projects had been delayed for too long. “It’s frustrating, because without the funding we can’t implement important projects.”
More: “We have to move much faster”: Industry complains about hurdles for hydrogen investments
