Northern Germany sets course for a "green" future – Focus on hydrogen infrastructure

With the forward-looking vision of a comprehensive green hydrogen infrastructure, Schleswig-Holstein and its northern German neighboring states aspire to take a leading role. The goal is to set the course in such a way that both the construction of hydrogen production facilities and the necessary storage capacity are located in the north of Germany. Schleswig-Holstein's Energy Minister Tobias Goldschmidt from the Greens reaffirmed these ambitions on Monday and emphasized the importance of private sector investment decisions, which should be secured by clear regulatory frameworks. At a meeting in Berlin, to which Goldschmidt had invited representatives from politics, business, and science from the northern German states, the minister painted a positive picture of the region. He particularly highlighted the combination of renewable energy, advanced industrial companies, and an existing infrastructure for the energy transition, including the strength of the coastal ports, as an ideal basis for a climate-neutral hydrogen economy region. Another main focus in the course of the hydrogen strategy is the storage of this promising energy carrier. Frank Doods, State Secretary of Economic Affairs for Lower Saxony, emphasized the outstanding position of northern Germany with regard to existing caverns, which have been primarily used for natural gas so far and are intended to be converted to hydrogen storage in the future. Doods appeals to the federal government to present the promised storage strategy as soon as possible and to ensure the involvement of the states. Bremen sees a promising demand situation emerging in the north within the developing hydrogen landscape, which could benefit both the hydrogen sector and industry through locally green energy and favorable energy prices, according to Maike Frese in her capacity as State Councilor for Economic Affairs. A similar note was struck by Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's State Secretary for Economic Affairs Ines Jesse, with a particular focus on the need for improved east-west connections in the hydrogen network and synchronization with EU funding. Finally, Hamburg's State Councilor for Economic Affairs Andreas Rieckhof pointed out the concerns of port infrastructure and the maritime import of hydrogen. He advocates for support from both the federal government and the EU in this regard, in order to maximize not only the imports but also the associated value creation potentials for the entire economy.