Germany and the UK want to cooperate more closely in the development of green hydrogen in the lead up to a hydrogen conference scheduled for Tuesday in Berlin.
The UK already decided on an expansion of renewable energy in a national hydrogen strategy about two years ago.
“Following the example of the British offshore wind industry, there are plans to establish an industrial hydrogen market,’’ the foreign trade agency Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI) said.
Hydrogen is also to be exported to other EU members.
German Economy Minister Robert Habeck saw enormous economic potential in the development of hydrogen technology in Germany.
He said that hydrogen was expected to play a central role in the transition to a climate-friendly restructuring of the economy and several industries, including the steel industry, for example.
However, most of the hydrogen will have to be imported.
On the other hand, hydrogen is to serve as fuel and thus also as an energy storage medium.
In the UK, the expansion of hydrogen production is seen as an important step towards achieving the UK’s zero emissions target by 2050.
Hopes are high, especially in Scotland, that the direct export of hydrogen to the EU could not only open up lucrative sources of income but also accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels.
Scottish leaders have repeatedly promoted sending hydrogen supplies to Germany. In recent months, several business delegations from German states have also travelled to Scotland.
Up to now, the northernmost part of the UK has financed itself mainly from the sale of oil and gas in the North Sea.
However, the British central government in London, which recently announced new subsidies, wanted to keep the export of hydrocarbons in its own hands.
This might be about containing Scottish hopes that treaties with the EU would be seen as support for its independence movement.
