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Germany is at a crossroads: Is hydrogen the load-bearing pillar of our climate-neutral energy supply or does it remain a large, expensive promise? The political course of the coming months will decide whether we create a globally competitive hydrogen market – or whether Germany loses connection to international development. This was pondered with our members at the German hydrogen association Deutscher Wasserstoff-Verband (DWV). We therefore formulated and published recommendations before the election of the German parliament under the title "H2Five: Fünf vor 2030" (five before 2030).
In October 2024, the German Federal Network Agency approved the plans for the hydrogen core network. Hydrogen is expected to flow through some sections as early as 2025. Despite turbulent times, the network operators remain confident about the new infrastructure.
The hydrogen economy as a crucial technology for replacing fossil resources is subject to high expectations in terms of sustainability. Hardly any other growth area is the subject of such controversial discussions about how ‘green’ it really is. In the context of resources, the hydrogen economy however is about more than just ideological considerations. Electrolysers and fuel cells contain rare and valuable raw materials, such as the precious metals iridium and platinum. From economic and strategic perspectives, they must be recovered after the end of their life. Recycling is a must—and should be considered from the outset, not only when the end of life of the plants and vehicles is reached. But where does the circular economy stand today in the context of hydrogen? We provide an overview using the example of PEM technology.
Two German universities in Oldenburg and Hanover and the Polish training company Studium Wodoru are proving that cross-border training for pioneers in the green hydrogen industry makes sense. The Polish edition of this program has just started for the second time.
Hydrogen pipeline networks are not suitable for meeting the requirements of municipal heat planning in the allotted time. There are still too many uncertainties when it comes to converting the natural gas grid. This is the conclusion reached by a Hamburg law firm.
Things have become quiet in H2 mobility. At the cafe tables and also on Facebook, the topic of fuel cell versus battery-powered vehicles is discussed much less frequently and more subdued than it was two years ago, since it is gradually starting to sink in that hydrogen cars will not be available at...
On July 22, 2024, the transmission system operators submitted a draft application to the BNetzA to build the envisaged H2 core grid. With a planned total length of 9,666 km (6,006 mi), it will predominantly consist of converted natural gas pipelines (about 60 percent). The Doing Hydrogen route that...
When the European Hydrogen Bank’s first pilot auction (Innovation Fund Auction IF23) was announced on Sept. 5, 2023, it drew much attention. April 30, 2024, then saw the publication of the results for the pilot auction, for which the European Union was making EUR 800 million of support available. Seven projects from northern and southern Europe were successful in obtaining funding. The aim of the hydrogen auction is to accelerate the rollout of green hydrogen and send price signals by narrowing the cost gap between green and fossil-based hydrogen.
