In April, gas and water industries association DVGW tapped Thorsten Kasten, 52, to co-lead hydrogen and fuel cell organization DWV. By unanimous vote, the DWV executive committee later confirmed the DVGW’s candidate as its new co-chair of the board. Kasten now serves alongside Werner Diwald, who has led the DWV since 2014.
Interview with Gerald Linke, DVGW chairman
The German gas and water industries association DVGW has for some time been increasing its efforts in relation to hydrogen. In early 2018, it entered into initial negotiations with the German Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association, DWV, with the aim of intensifying the cooperation between the two organizations. At the end of 2020, DWV members voted overwhelmingly in favor of the partnership proposed by the board. What unites these two associations and what could the gas industry look like in the future? Gerald Linke, DVGW chairman, shared his views with H2-international.
Amendments cut clean energy surcharges on hydrogen
Experts agree, German parliament has scored an important hydrogen economy victory. EEG,amendments exempt hydrogen from a good portion of clean energy surcharges. What we need now is a renewable capacity to match.
DVGW partnership with DVGW confirmed
For years now, the German Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association, DWV, has been trying to find a new path forward. The association’s annual meeting in Hamburg, Germany, last September did nothing to remedy matters as members once more put off several decisions regarding its future. Finally, a well-organized online event held on Dec. 4 greased the wheels of reform, speeding the DWV on its way to becoming a powerful industry association.
The quiet life is over. That much is clear, even to the German hydrogen and fuel cell association DWV. Growing interest in hydrogen and fuel cells has some wanting to turn the organization into a powerful industrial body.
This March, the German gas and water industries association DVGW published the findings of a study called “Hydrogen electric vehicles – trends and outlook,” which the organization had commissioned to evaluate the prospects for hydrogen in the transportation sector.
On January 17, in Berlin, the German Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association, also known as DWV, and the German Association of the Gas and Water Industries, or DVGW, signed an agreement to step up their efforts to help set up a power-to-gas market. At the signing ceremony, which was attended by Thomas Bareiß, who has a leading role in the economy ministry, both organizations said they aimed to “gradually turn today’s fossil fuel economy into a climate-friendly energy system” by replacing natural with synthetic gas one step at a time.
The German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas and Water (DVGW) presented a new study during the gas industry discussion forum, gat 2015, on Oct. 27, 2015. The new document says that “the existing natural gas infrastructure is generally suited for adding one to nine per cent hydrogen.” In Essen, the association presented results from its research conducted under the auspices of the DVGW research project Hydrogen Tolerance of Natural Gas Infrastructure and Associated Facilities.
© DVGW
On Oct. 1, 2015, Alexandra Ernst became the CFO of the German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas and Water (DVGW). The association’s executive board had decided in a special session in Bonn on creating this new post, making the economist born in Recklinghausen the second salaried executive besides Professor Dr. Gerald Linke. The main responsibility of Ernst, who had been CEO of juwi Service & Solutions between January 2013 and January 2015, will be the commercial as well as the product and service-related management of the DVGW Group.
To gain further influence in the different interests in the energy sector, two associations in the gas industry have entered into a strategic cooperation: the Deutsche Verein des Gas- und Wasserfaches (German Gas and Water Association / DVGW) and the Arbeitsgemeinschaft für sparsamen und umweltfreundlichen Energieverbrauch (Working Group for Energy Conservation and Environmentally Friendly Energy Use / ASUE). On 29th May 2015, the Chairman of the Board of the DVGW, Prof. Dr. Gerald Linke, and President of the ASUE, Dr. Ludwig Möhring, signed an appropriate agreement in Berlin. Its primary goals are