Wasserstoff in Niedersachsen – Politische Handlungsempfehlungen

Der Ausbau der Elektrolyse-Kapazitäten ist das Rückgrat für die Produktion von grünem Wasserstoff – und damit elementar für die Energiewende.
Niedersachsen setzt auf Großprojekte, aber der Hochlauf bleibt hinter den Erwartungen zurück. Jetzt zählt Tempo!
Der aktuelle Projektbericht von unserem Kollegen Christoph Peters vom DGB liefert fundierte Analysen und konkrete Handlungsempfehlungen für Politik, um Niedersachsen als Vorreiter der Wasserstoffwirtschaft zu etablieren. Lesenswert für alle, die die Wasserstoffwirtschaft aktiv mitgestalten wollen.

Die gesamte Projektarbeit, geschrieben von Christoph Peters (Projektleiter bei Arbeit und Leben im Auftrag des DGB), ist hier einzusehen.

Wasserstoff in Niedersachsen – Arbeitsmarkt und Beschäftigung

Die Energiewende treibt die Entwicklung neuer Technologien voran. Eine davon ist die Wasserstoffwirtschaft. Wie sich dieser Wandel auf den Arbeitsmarkt auswirkt, ist Gegenstand zahlreicher Studien. Der erste Teil dieses Textes fasst die wichtigsten Erkenntnisse zusammen und zeichnet Entwicklungsperspektiven.
Damit die Energiewende und der Hochlauf der Wasserstoffwirtschaft gelingen können, benötigt es hoch qualifizierte Arbeitskräfte. Doch reicht das bestehende Qualifikationsangebot aus, um den steigenden Bedarf zu decken? Im zweiten Teil werden die aktuellen Herausforderungen im Bereich der Fachkräftesicherung beleuchtet.

The entire project paper, written by Christoph Peters (project manager at Arbeit und Leben on behalf of the DGB), can be viewed here.

Hydrogen in Lower Saxony - projects, status and future

A central problem remains the secure demand for hydrogen, which is crucial for the transformation of industry. Lower Saxony must develop a uniform industrial policy strategy to overcome the challenges in industry and support the ramp-up of the hydrogen economy.

The entire project paper, written by Christoph Peters (project manager at Arbeit und Leben on behalf of the DGB), can be viewed here.

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Market ramp-up of the hydrogen economy: Positioning the
industry

Production, storage and import of green hydrogen concentrated in the north

Pragmatism before perfection

The European Union's Delegated Act on the definition of green hydrogen established strict rules on when hydrogen produced can be described as green. The experts on the podium and the guests in the room felt that these rules were too strict. Robert Habeck's proposal to postpone the deadlines, especially for additionality, was welcomed. Overall, there was a call for more pragmatism in regulation before we can meet the detailed requirements for the production of green hydrogen.

SMEs need Perspectives

In the development of the hydrogen economy, particular attention has so far been paid to major customers such as the steel and chemical industries. This is reflected in funding measures as well as in the expansion of the hydrogen core network. In Germany, we have a large SME industry that also needs to decarbonize and now needs prospects to invest in the transformation. That is why we need plans for the rededication of distribution grids in order to transport hydrogen to smaller, industrial consumers. This will play an important role in southern Lower Saxony in particular.

A storage strategy is missing 

Announced for the end of 2024, a storage strategy is no longer expected from the current German government. Yet it is of enormous importance for the future energy system. Research projects in Lower Saxony and Brandenburg have shown that hydrogen can be stored in underground salt caverns and thus make a significant contribution to security of supply in Germany. Lower Saxony has a key role to play here, as there are special geological features for potential salt cavern storage facilities, particularly on the North Sea coast. Around 70 caverns are currently used in Germany for storing oil and gas. However, these cannot be converted as long as we use them as active storage facilities. This means that we need to expand further storage facilities. In addition to the planning and approval procedures, the process of providing such a cavern takes several years. The process is also very cost-intensive. It is therefore important to make progress here in 2025 so that investments are made in new storage facilities and these are then ready in the early 30s.

More resilience for imports 

There is now a consensus that we need to diversify our energy imports and rely on several reliable partners. At the same time, the focus on imports via the seaports in northern Germany in particular must be strengthened, as the implementation of pipeline projects is sometimes lengthy and sometimes uncertain. A reliable import of hydrogen therefore relies on ports and pipelines. This is why the northern states must push ahead with the further development of the ports.

To the joint press release.

The 3rd North German Hydrogen Conference will take place in Rostock in November 2025.

Event impressions

 About the organizers:

AfW Cuxhaven

The Agency for Economic Development of the City of Cuxhaven initiates, supports and coordinates measures to promote Cuxhaven as a business location. The renewable energy sector is one of the key industries. The focus here is primarily on the offshore wind-hydrogen industry, which is a key future development in Cuxhaven. Due to its central location to the offshore wind farms, Cuxhaven has developed into one of the priority locations for the offshore industry - the so-called "German Offshore Industry Center". www.afw-cuxhaven.de

BIS

The business development agency BIS is a service provider and partner for all companies that want to operate, grow, restructure or relocate in Bremerhaven. Among other things, BIS provides support with expansion projects, funding projects and financing, advice and assistance with site searches and relocations as well as infrastructure development and implementation. The topics of offshore wind, sector coupling and green hydrogen are an integral part of Bremerhaven as a science location. www.bis-bremerhaven.de

EEHH

The Renewable Energy Hamburg Cluster is an industry network of around 250 companies, universities and institutions from the renewable energy sector and the hydrogen economy in the Hamburg metropolitan region. The cluster offers stakeholders from business, science and politics a common platform. The cluster's work focuses on onshore and offshore wind, solar, renewable heat, sector coupling and green hydrogen. www.eehh.de

EE.SH

The Renewable Energy Network Agency Schleswig-Holstein EE.SH is one of six strategic innovation clusters in the state of Schleswig-Holstein. The EE.SH team supports companies in Schleswig-Holstein's renewable energy sector in the implementation of innovation and transformation projects. A particular focus is on the implementation of the northern German hydrogen strategy. www.ee-sh.de

NWN

The Lower Saxony Hydrogen Network (NWN) is the central point of contact for hydrogen in Lower Saxony. The NWN supports and advises the various players from politics, business and science in order to promote the development of the hydrogen economy in Lower Saxony. www.wasserstoff-niedersachsen.de

WAB

WAB, based in Bremerhaven, is the nationwide contact for the offshore wind industry, the onshore network in the northwest and promotes the production of "green" hydrogen from wind power. Around 250 smaller and larger companies and institutes from all areas of the wind industry, the maritime industry and research belong to the association. www.wab.net

WECMV

The Hydrogen Energy Cluster Mecklenburg-Vorpommern pools the interests of business, science and politics in order to accelerate the market ramp-up in the federal state in a targeted manner. Funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs in Schwerin, the WECMV networks all players in the value chain from component manufacturers to end customers with the involvement of political decision-makers . www.wecmv.de

WEN

The WindEnergy Network e.V. (WEN) is the leading business network for wind energy in the north-east region with currently around 100 member companies. The network, which has existed since 2002, sees itself as a platform for the entire value chain of the industry. It focuses on onshore and offshore wind energy, maritime technologies in connection with offshore wind and the development of green hydrogen. www.wind-energy-network.de

Hydrogen Technology Expo Europe 2024

For two days, the NWN presented Lower Saxony's hydrogen landscape to the 15,000 visitors expected at Hydrogen Technology Expo Europe 2024 in Hamburg. The team led by project manager Dr. Alexander Bedrunka explained the projects along the value chain to German-speaking and international visitors - from the production and import of green hydrogen to the construction of the hydrogen core network and applications in industry and mobility. 

Also represented at the stand were partners from Lower Saxony such as EWE, the Hydrogen Campus Salzgitter, the Jade University of Applied Sciences and the University of Oldenburg for the hydrogen further education course for specialists and managers. 

As part of the conference, Dr. Alexander Bedrunkapresented Lower Saxony's hydrogen economyat the panel discussion "Scale up and acceleration of hydrogen projects" and left the event with a good feeling after the subsequent panel discussion:
"We have already laid some of the foundations for the hydrogen ramp-up through investments and strategies. Now we need to create incentives to make green hydrogen or products such as green steel more marketable. Tools such as climate protection contracts are a good option here."

Stay informed - with our newsletter "NWN direkt..."

You want to stay informed about these and other exciting hydrogen projects from Lower Saxony? Then sign up for our newsletter!

North German coastal region plays key role in hydrogen economy

Production, storage and import of green hydrogen concentrated in the north

Cuxhaven, November 15, 2023

Over 200 participants gathered today in Cuxhaven's "HAPAG-Hallen" for the first "North German Hydrogen Conference" to discuss the importance of the coastal states for the ramp-up of the German hydrogen economy. In dialog with representatives of the five northern German state governments, representatives of the energy and port industries exchanged views on the strategically important position of the north for the production of green hydrogen. In addition, the focus was on regional infrastructure and storage options as well as the role of seaports in the import of green energy sources and fuels, including their distribution. The organizers were the Cuxhaven Business Development Agency, BIS Bremerhavener Gesellschaft für Investitionsförderung und Stadtentwicklung mbH, the Renewable Energy Hamburg Cluster (EEHH), Renewable Energy Schleswig-Holstein, WAB e.V., the Hydrogen Energy Cluster Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the WindEnergy Network and the Lower Saxony Hydrogen Network.

 "The key to a successful ramp-up of the hydrogen economy lies on the coast," say the organizers, "Here, green electricity from wind farms on land and at sea is already available today, so much so that some of it cannot be absorbed into the power grid. The region also has ideal conditions for storing hydrogen for weeks or months in underground salt caverns. Green energy sources can be landed in the seaports to supply the region's energy-intensive industry. The ports already provide an efficient supply to the hinterland. The conference will provide information about the region's special potential at different locations in the participating federal states every year.

The program was supported by renowned sponsors and offered informative presentations and panels. In the political panel "Cooperation instead of competition", high-profile representatives of state politics discussed how to accelerate the ramp-up of the hydrogen economy in the north through more intensive cooperation. The thematic panels "Ports and imports", "Offshore wind and hydrogen" and "Green electricity from the region for green hydrogen" emphasized the special role of northern Germany in the energy transition. In the run-up to the conference, the conference participants had visited the newly opened Turneo GmbH site as a maritime hydrogen hub in Cuxhaven.

Event impressions

Voices from the North German Hydrogen Conference

 About the organizers:

AfW Cuxhaven

The Agency for Economic Development of the City of Cuxhaven initiates, supports and coordinates measures to promote Cuxhaven as a business location. The renewable energy sector is one of the key industries. The focus here is primarily on the offshore wind-hydrogen industry, which is a key future development in Cuxhaven. Due to its central location to the offshore wind farms, Cuxhaven has developed into one of the priority locations for the offshore industry - the so-called "German Offshore Industry Center". www.afw-cuxhaven.de

BIS

The business development agency BIS is a service provider and partner for all companies that want to operate, grow, restructure or relocate in Bremerhaven. Among other things, BIS provides support with expansion projects, funding projects and financing, advice and assistance with site searches and relocations as well as infrastructure development and implementation. The topics of offshore wind, sector coupling and green hydrogen are an integral part of Bremerhaven as a science location. www.bis-bremerhaven.de

EEHH

The Renewable Energy Hamburg Cluster is an industry network of around 250 companies, universities and institutions from the renewable energy sector and the hydrogen economy in the Hamburg metropolitan region. The cluster offers stakeholders from business, science and politics a common platform. The cluster's work focuses on onshore and offshore wind, solar, renewable heat, sector coupling and green hydrogen. www.eehh.de

EE.SH

The Renewable Energy Network Agency Schleswig-Holstein EE.SH is one of six strategic innovation clusters in the state of Schleswig-Holstein. The EE.SH team supports companies in Schleswig-Holstein's renewable energy sector in the implementation of innovation and transformation projects. A particular focus is on the implementation of the northern German hydrogen strategy. www.ee-sh.de

NWN

The Lower Saxony Hydrogen Network (NWN) is the central point of contact for hydrogen in Lower Saxony. The NWN supports and advises the various players from politics, business and science in order to promote the development of the hydrogen economy in Lower Saxony. www.wasserstoff-niedersachsen.de

WAB

WAB, based in Bremerhaven, is the nationwide contact for the offshore wind industry, the onshore network in the northwest and promotes the production of "green" hydrogen from wind power. Around 250 smaller and larger companies and institutes from all areas of the wind industry, the maritime industry and research belong to the association. www.wab.net

WECMV

The Hydrogen Energy Cluster Mecklenburg-Vorpommern pools the interests of business, science and politics in order to accelerate the market ramp-up in the federal state in a targeted manner. Funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs in Schwerin, the WECMV networks all players in the value chain from component manufacturers to end customers with the involvement of political decision-makers . www.wecmv.de

WEN

The WindEnergy Network e.V. (WEN) is the leading business network for wind energy in the north-east region with currently around 100 member companies. The network, which has existed since 2002, sees itself as a platform for the entire value chain of the industry. It focuses on onshore and offshore wind energy, maritime technologies in connection with offshore wind and the development of green hydrogen. www.wind-energy-network.de