German government puts focus on green hydrogen for energy transition – media
Handelsblatt
Renewable energy-based hydrogen and other green gases increasingly shift into the German government's focus as "an alternative to electricity" and an important building block to solving future energy transition challenges, . According to a paper from the economy ministry (BMWi), seen by Handelsblatt, “gaseous energy sources are an integral and long-term component of the energy transition” and renewable power-based synthetic gases such as hydrogen will “continuously substitute natural gas, especially after 2030”. The document takes stock of a dialogue process the ministry organised with stakeholders from the energy and industry sectors.
Using renewable electricity to produce hydrogen, CO₂-neutral methane or other fossil fuel substitutes could solve some of the Energiewende’s toughest challenges. While the direct use of renewable electricity is generally preferred because a lot of energy is lost when converting it to make synthetic hydrogen or methane, power-to-x fuels will likely be needed for specific applications, such as heavy-duty truck transport or as energy storage. The federal government on a “hydrogen strategy“ by the end of the year.