cruh21 at the 3rd National Hydrogen Economic Forum
On Tuesday, the 3rd National Hydrogen Economic Forum provided a comprehensive platform for exchange on the future of the hydrogen economy, where cruh21, alongside other organizations such as Shell or the EEHH , was a proud sponsor. The event, which took place on May 7th, attracted a wide range of experts and policy makers who shared their perspectives and insights on this important topic.
Panel: “National & international hydrogen production and the role of offshore wind energy”
With opening speeches by Olaf Lies, Minister for Economic Affairs, Transport, Building and Digitization in Lower Saxony, Christian Maaß, Head of the Department of Energy Policy, Heat, Hydrogen and Efficiency at BMWK and Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, CEO of Hydrogen Europe, the forum was attended by top-class speakers. Hamburg's First Mayor Peter Tschentscher was also present and addressed the participants.
A highlight of the forum was the panel on “National & International Hydrogen Production and the Role of Offshore Wind Energy”, moderated by Jimmie Langham, Managing Director of cruh21. During this discussion, various aspects of hydrogen production were highlighted, with a particular focus on the role of offshore wind energy.
It became clear again during the discussions that both domestic production and imports play a role in planning the ramp-up of the hydrogen economy in Germany. However, on closer inspection, this duo becomes a quartet. In addition to domestic hydrogen production and large quantities imported from regions with favorable renewable energies, the production of hydrogen on the high seas in the North and Baltic Seas also comes into play. This additional dimension of offshore hydrogen not only offers potential for sustainable energy production, but also opens up new opportunities for infrastructure. The European Hydrogen Backbone, which is currently being planned, is preparing the infrastructure to transport surplus production from countries in northern, southern and eastern Europe to Germany via a pipeline at low cost.
Different perspectives from different participants in the hydrogen industry
The panel featured various industry figures, including Felix Faber from Shell, who was invited to share Shell's perspective on this quartet and the geographical scope of its activities. Martin Dörnhöfer from RWE emphasized RWE's interest in both onshore and offshore hydrogen projects and explained why offshore hydrogen plays a crucial role in this quartet. With Timo Bollerhey from the H2Global Foundation, we discussed the differences between the mechanism of the European Hydrogen Bank and that of H2Global. Gunnar Groebler from Salzgitter AG also questioned the preferences for the origin of green steel, which contributed to the exciting exchange. A big thank you also goes to Dr. Urban Keussen from EWE AG for his inspiring contributions and valuable suggestions during the forum.
Collaboration as the foundation of the hydrogen economy
These diverse insights once again illustrated the complexity and the different perspectives that need to be taken into account when developing the hydrogen economy. The discussion also emphasized all the more that close collaboration between stakeholders from different sectors is crucial to overcome the challenges and fully exploit the potential of our forward-looking industry.
The forum also provided ample opportunity for networking and making new contacts. The evening event with a view of the Elbe provided a pleasant setting for more informal discussions and the exchange of ideas. Overall, the 3rd National Hydrogen Economic Forum was a great success and underlined the importance of a coordinated and targeted approach to the challenges and opportunities of the hydrogen economy. We would like to thank everyone involved and look forward to further meetings!
