Source: Energy & Management Powernews, July 18, 2022
Germany and other EU states may support the development and expansion of a European hydrogen industry in 41 projects with up to 5.4 billion euros, according to a Commission decision.
The Vice-President of the European Commission, Margrethe Vestager, announced on July 15 the approval of 41 large-scale hydrogen projects. Among them are four projects from Germany from the IPCEI program. IPCEI stands for "Important Project of Common European Interest". Another 58 projects from Germany are still in the approval process.
The approval granted today concerns the technology wave. The approval of the industrial projects is expected in autumn 2022. Subsequently, the funding notices can be issued. Also of high importance for Germany is a third infrastructure wave, for which proposals have already been submitted to the European Commission. A fourth wave on mobility applications is in the works.
First approvals for electrolysis processes
Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) said, "Today we have taken a big step forward on the way to ramping up the hydrogen economy in Germany." He added that the four German projects were making an important contribution to the development of hydrogen technologies, with the focus on the development of electrolysers and fuel cells.
"I am particularly pleased that we are able to take this important step together with the other countries involved," Habeck emphasized. Many other projects in the fields of industry, generation, infrastructure and mobility still need to be approved in order to be able to develop a real hydrogen economy.
The approval granted under state aid law allows the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWK) to fund two projects: "BoschPowerUnits" by Bosch is researching stationary fuel cell systems based on solid oxide. The project is to be realized at Bosch locations in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Saarland.
With "Sunfire1500" of Sunfire GmbH, a production landscape may also be promoted that will bring electrolysers of alkali (AEL) and high-temperature technology (SOEC) into series production. The main investment location for the factories will be Saxony, for AEL also proportionally NRW. At the same time, production is to serve as a blueprint for future European series production.
Two hydrogen propulsion projects
In addition, two projects selected by the German Federal Ministry of Transport (BMDV) have received state aid approval. Daimler Truck AG's "Pegasus" project aims to decarbonize overland cross-border freight transport with tractor-trailer combination powertrains based on fuel cells, while maintaining key performance criteria and tractor flexibility.
EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies' "NextGen HD Stack" project aims to develop a new generation of high-performance fuel cell stack modules for commercial vehicles, ships and railroads, and to advance their commercialization. In addition, the CO2 footprint of production is also to be significantly reduced.
A total of 62 major projects selected
BMWK and BMDV had selected these four and other projects in 2021 in the IPCEI Hydrogen expression of interest process. The IPCEI Hydrogen is a European project in which a total of 24 member states and Norway are involved. In Germany, more than eight billion euros in funding is available for the project in total, provided by the federal and state governments.
The events since the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine have once again highlighted the importance of the IPCEI Hydrogen, which is also part of the German National Hydrogen Strategy, for the future of the energy sector and industry, the BMWK said. EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton stressed that the projects could lead to EU companies becoming leaders in the hydrogen industry.
In Germany, the starting signal for the realization phase of the first IPCEI Hydrogen had been given on May 28, 2021. Companies could submit project outlines for investment projects in an expression of interest procedure. The Ministry of Economics and the Ministry of Transport selected 62 major German projects from the applications. The projects are to receive over 8 billion euros in federal and state funding. In total, this is expected to trigger investments of 33 billion euros in Germany alone. The IPCEI Hydrogen is the largest European project of its kind to date.
Author: Susanne Harmsen
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