Environmental Action Germany has criticised the German government’s upcoming hydrogen import strategy, calling for a “clear commitment” to green hydrogen, Kallanish notes.

The German government plans to unveil the country's hydrogen import strategy this week. Federal economics minister Robert Habeck said last week several pipelines could be used to import hydrogen into the country, including from Denmark, Norway, and the UK. The government is also eyeing imports through future pipelines from France and Spain, as well as from northern African countries, potentially through Italy.

According to the draft hydrogen import strategy seen by local media, the country expects hydrogen demand of 360 to 500 terawatt hours (TWh) by 2045. Although Germany wants to import only green hydrogen in the long term, the strategy initially allows low-carbon hydrogen imports. This could also include blue hydrogen derived from natural gas. 

“Without a clear commitment to sustainable green hydrogen and concrete approaches for efficient use, the hoped-for climate effect will be taken to the point of absurdity,” says Sascha Müller-Kraenner, federal managing director of Environmental Action Germany.

“Hydrogen and its derivatives are associated with enormous energy losses during production, conversion and transport,” Müller-Kraenner warns. “We must use them sparingly and plan and use them in a targeted manner.”

The managing director argues the draft strategy focuses on numerous import terminals for different types of derivatives, which “seems completely haphazard”. This will lead to a continued increase in Germany’s energy consumption, alongside “unmanageable” import infrastructure at the coasts.

“The aim of hydrogen imports must be to counteract the climate crisis – and not to keep Germany's energy hunger at today's level,” Müller-Kraenner concludes. “We are therefore calling for a clear rejection of the import of fossil-blue hydrogen, a return to climate targets and a tailor-made import infrastructure.”

Early this month, fertiliser producer Fertiglobe was selected as the sole winner of the first H2Global pilot auction for renewable ammonia. Set up by Germany’s economy and climate affairs ministry, H2Global aims to subsidise hydrogen imports into the country.