According to a study, Germany should learn from past mistakes with gas when importing hydrogen for the climate-friendly restructuring of the economy.
A strong focus on a few providers such as Russia should be avoided, according to a study by the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research.
Greentech Science: Produce 1/3 of the hydrogen required in Germany?
When it comes to hydrogen imports, Germany should concentrate on the EU and neighboring states, it goes on to say. The regions eligible for the import of hydrogen should also be within a pipeline distance for cost reasons.
Taking into account favorable generation potential, which, in addition to renewable potential, also takes into account financing costs and geopolitical stability, these are in particular EU states such as Spain and EU neighboring states such as Norway.
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Hydrogen should play a key role in the climate-friendly restructuring of the economy, for example the steel industry. Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) had said that around a third of the hydrogen required could be produced in Germany, and around two thirds would have to be imported.
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The ministry is still planning an import strategy.
Habeck has therefore already visited several countries, most recently he was in Algeria. He had already made it clear that the government wanted to pay attention to social and ecological standards in the country of origin. Before the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, Germany was dependent on Russia for natural gas supplies and then had to make great efforts to obtain replacements.
Greentech study: Green hydrogen for the steel and chemical industries, air and ship transport
The institute’s study states that since so-called green hydrogen and hydrogen derivatives would remain expensive and scarce in the short and medium term, an import strategy should focus on areas in which the climate goals can only be achieved with hydrogen.
These include steel and raw materials chemistry, international air and ship transport and refineries. Green hydrogen is produced from renewable energies such as wind and solar.
There is enough potential worldwide to produce green hydrogen
In the long term, there is enough potential worldwide to produce green hydrogen and its derivatives. However, there are a number of obstacles to a market ramp-up, so that progress is currently being made slowly.
The majority of global production will be used on domestic markets, while it is estimated that only around a third will be traded internationally. The development of manufacturing and transport infrastructure will take time, so larger import volumes are only expected after 2030.