Hydrogen - energy carrier of the future

For climate protection and a secure energy supply, Germany must become independent of fossil fuels. Hydrogen as a substitute for natural gas, oil and coal plays a decisive role in this. The German government is promoting this technology of the future as part of its National Hydrogen Strategy.

What is hydrogen?

Hydrogen is a chemical element that occurs in nature, for example in combination with oxygen atoms as water (H2O). The chemical element is abbreviated with the letter H and is gaseous at normal temperature.

Why is hydrogen considered the energy carrier of the future?

Hydrogen is a flexible and easily transportable energy carrier. If it is produced using renewable energies, it is also climate-friendly. Its use makes it possible to transform Germany's industry as well as truck, ship and air traffic in a climate-friendly way. The German government wants to put Germany's energy supply on a broader basis in order to become independent of fossil fuels. Hydrogen plays a key role here. In addition to the benefits for the climate and security of supply, hydrogen technologies also have the potential for many sustainable jobs and a global market worth billions.

Green, gray, blue, turquoise hydrogen - what are the differences between them?

Green hydrogen is produced by electrolysis of water. In this process, the water is broken down into hydrogen and oxygen with the help of electric current. The electricity required for electrolysis comes exclusively from renewable sources. As a result, the electricity used and thus also the production of hydrogen are CO2-free.

In the case of gray hydrogen, the starting material is a fossil fuel. Natural gas is converted into CO2 and hydrogen using heat. The resulting CO2 is released into the atmosphere, thereby increasing the greenhouse effect.

Blue hydrogen is basically gray hydrogen. The difference: with blue hydrogen, the CO2 produced is stored. This type of hydrogen production is therefore considered CO2-neutral.

Turquoise hydrogen is produced by the thermal cracking of methane. Instead of CO2, this produces a solid carbon. To make this type of production CO2-neutral, renewable energy must be used and the carbon must be permanently sequestered.

Why is green hydrogen better than fossil fuels?

When hydrogen is produced with the help of renewable electricity, there are few, and ideally no, greenhouse gas emissions from its use. The situation is different when fossil fuels such as gas, oil and coal are burned. This is the main cause of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Independence from fossil fuels also strengthens energy security in Germany.

Where can hydrogen be used?

Hydrogen is important for reducing CO2 emissions in industry. Hydrogen is set to replace coal in the particularly energy-intensive production of steel. And certain processes in the chemical industry can only be made climate-friendly with green hydrogen.

Gas-fired power plants are also to be operated in the future with climate-neutral gases such as hydrogen. Conventional gas-fired power plants will still be necessary until renewable energies provide security of supply. However, they must be built in such a way that they can be converted to climate-neutral gases such as hydrogen.

Where the use of electric drives is not practical or possible, hydrogen also offers solutions for climate-friendly transportation. Together with CO2, for example, it can be converted into climate-friendly fuels that power trucks, ships or aircraft. Hydrogen trains have the potential to replace diesel trains in regional transport and minimize CO2 emissions on the railways.

How is the German government promoting the use of hydrogen?

The German government adopted the National Hydrogen Strategy in June 2020. The aim is to reduce CO2 emissions in the industrial, transport and energy sectors on the basis of hydrogen technology. At the same time, this promotes the competitiveness of the German economy and opens up new markets.

The Federal Ministry of Research supports initiatives that address the fundamental questions of the hydrogen economy, namely: How can we produce, store, transport and use hydrogen cheaply and efficiently?

The Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology also promotes the real laboratories of the energy turnaround. Support is provided to companies and research institutions that develop new technologies and solutions for the energy transition and test them under real conditions on an industrial scale.

With the National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Innovation Program, the Federal Ministry of Transport supports projects that make hydrogen usable for transport, particularly in the areas of road, rail, water and air transport.

The specially established Hydrogen Pilot Office offers the opportunity to directly find the funding options suitable for one's own project.

Where does Germany get enough green hydrogen?

Germany cannot produce green hydrogen in the quantities needed, because it does not have enough electricity from renewable energies. The German government is therefore relying on international cooperation. Strategic partnerships with South and West Africa as well as with Australia are the cornerstone for the future supply of hydrogen. In these countries, conditions are particularly suitable for producing wind and solar power for the manufacture of hydrogen. In Germany, the German government wants to build up electrolysis capacity of at least ten gigawatts by 2030.