Moleküle des Wassers

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Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Peter Altmaier will be attending the German-Dutch Hydrogen Symposium today together with King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands. Participants include the Dutch and German Ambassadors, representatives of the Federation of German Industries (BDI), the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) and the Dutch partner associations, and numerous representatives from science and business of both countries.

Federal Minister Altmaier said: "Hydrogen is a key element for a successful energy transition and carbon-free economies. Together with our Dutch partners, we want to provide the necessary stimulus for the market ramp-up. This can be achieved in the context of a common European hydrogen project. The aim is to establish Europe’s largest and the world’s first hydrogen project so far in the EU on the basis of more than 500 European projects from around 22 EU Member States. Germany and the Netherlands are two of the participating countries which are making active contributions. In addition, I see great potential especially for using offshore wind energy for hydrogen production and transporting hydrogen to consumers in both countries via a cross-border hydrogen network."

In addition to exchanging views on the national and European hydrogen strategies, the German-Dutch Innovation Pact and cooperation in the field of hydrogen and energy research, Federal Minister Altmaier will be participating in a roundtable together with His Majesty King Willem-Alexander, and visit the stands of selected German-Dutch hydrogen cooperation projects.

Last year, the Federal Government adopted the National Hydrogen Strategy. One key element for the market ramp-up is the Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) on hydrogen. Together with the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI), the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) selected a total of 62 projects, which cover the entire hydrogen value chain, from a total of more than 230 submitted project outlines. The Netherlands is also participating in the IPCEI on hydrogen. Several important projects cover Germany and the Netherlands. Furthermore, both countries are examining the potential of offshore energy generation for the production of green hydrogen in the context of a research project. The aim is to identify common cooperation projects.