Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, Robert Habeck, together with the economics ministers of the federal states, announced the official launch of 23 innovative hydrogen projects that are being funded as part of the third Hy2Infra wave of the IPCEI (Important Projects of Common European Interest).
Total investment volume 7.9 billion euros
The initiative is part of the National Hydrogen Strategy and is supported by the German Recovery and Resilience Plan (DARP), which is funded by the European Union's NextGenerationEU Recovery and Resilience Facility. In addition, the development of an import strategy for hydrogen is planned in order to define clear framework conditions and targets for German hydrogen imports and the establishment of international hydrogen partnerships.
The European Commission approved these projects on 15 February 2024, with funding based on joint co-financing from the federal and state governments amounting to 4.6 billion euros. The additional investment by the participating companies amounts to 3.3 billion euros, bringing the total investment volume to around 7.9 billion euros by 2030.
Production, storage and transport on the rise
The subsidised projects include the production of green hydrogen with a total capacity of up to 1.4 GW using advanced electrolysers powered by renewable energies. Hydrogen storage facilities are to offer a storage capacity of up to 370 GWh. A pipeline infrastructure with a length of up to 2000 km will ensure the transport of hydrogen.
The projects form several cross-state clusters that comprise an integrated infrastructure of pipeline, storage and production units and are connected to industrial customers in the steel and chemical industries. Some projects also promote the pipeline-based import of hydrogen from neighbouring countries such as the Netherlands.
Minister Habeck commented: “The energy transition remains one of the greatest challenges facing our country, even in the face of further crises and conflicts. By promoting hydrogen projects, we are taking an important step towards a climate-neutral and sustainable economy in Europe and beyond. We are giving the go-ahead for the construction of electrolysers in the three-digit megawatt class, thereby enabling important progress to be made in the domestic production of green hydrogen. An efficient hydrogen infrastructure plays a key role in enabling the decarbonisation of industry and the energy sector. Hydrogen pipelines will be the lifelines of industrial centres. This will create the conditions for climate-neutral growth.”
