“Without green hydrogen there is no climate neutrality,” said Kretschmann on Thursday in a government statement in the state parliament in Stuttgart. The potential of the energy source is enormous, said Kretschmann. “He’s a real all-rounder.” Hydrogen can be used to operate engines and power plants, produce steel or replace fossil raw materials, for example in plastics, medicines or fertilizers.
For the Baden-Württemberg economy, the development of the hydrogen supply is “a huge opportunity”: “As a technical supplier, our economy can benefit from the ramp-up of green hydrogen. It can become one of the leading exporters of hydrogen technology,” said Kretschmann.
Greentech BW relies on hydrogen
Companies in Baden-Württemberg are already “worldwide technology leaders in the field of hydrogen technology,” said Kretschmann. Around 90 companies are active in the field, and there are also 18 university and non-university institutions. “Our starting position is excellent.” The state government therefore wants to occupy the key technology in a targeted manner and create as many new jobs as possible.
Hydrogen is still little used and the necessary infrastructure is lacking. “As soon as the pipelines are in place, we will import the green hydrogen in large quantities because it will be produced cheaper elsewhere than here,” said Kretschmann. A local, regional, national and international hydrogen network is needed. The dimensions are comparable to making the Neckar navigable or the construction of the first railway lines. But it is also crucial not to become dependent on one supplier again – as is the case with Russian gas. “We are therefore striving for a hydrogen supply from all four directions, from the north, the west, the south and the east,” said Kretschmann.
The opposition called for concrete measures
The opposition called for concrete measures. SPD faction leader Andreas Stoch welcomed the ambitious goals of the state government. “You have already set some ambitious green targets. But then you sat back and hoped that the goals would come to you on their own,” said Stoch. The government must also follow up the right words with the right actions – and should not stumble on the subject of hydrogen as wind power has done up to now.
FDP faction leader Hans-Ulrich Rülke accused Kretschmann of being narrow. “They are not sufficiently open to technology,” said Rülke. It doesn’t just need to focus on green hydrogen, i.e. hydrogen that is produced using electricity from renewable energies. All types of hydrogen production would have to be permitted – explicitly also using electricity from nuclear power.
AfD criticizes hydrogen technology as not yet mature
The AfD criticized that the technology was not yet mature. “Hydrogen is still decades away from being used,” said parliamentary group leader Anton Baron. At the same time, “the safest and most reliable nuclear power plants” would be dismantled in the country.
The chemical industry in the country called the expansion of the hydrogen infrastructure “right and important”. It is crucial that the country takes the needs of industry into account. In addition, the switch to hydrogen must be affordable for companies.
Hydrogen is considered the energy carrier of the future. No greenhouse gases are produced when it is used. However, to produce it, water has to be split into hydrogen and oxygen, which requires a great deal of energy. If electricity from renewable energies is used for the so-called electrolysis, the hydrogen is considered green and CO2-free.