Funding
Digital launch event for the Hydrogen Research Network

The members of the new Hydrogen Research Network work together on ideas for funding measures and concepts as well as application possibilities in the field of hydrogen. They aim to provide interdisciplinary answers to questions relating to the production, storage, distribution and cross-sectoral use of hydrogen. The focus is on transfer into practice and the applicability of technologies and concepts. This means that the network, as part of the Federal Government's National Hydrogen Strategy, can provide important impulses for research and innovation policy.

The network was launched on 30 September 2020 under the leadership of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi). Speakers included representatives of the participating federal ministries, the National Hydrogen Council and the Advisory Board of the National Organisation Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NOW) as well as project stakeholders from the first real-world hydrogen laboratory. A chat function enabled the approximately 1000 registered participants to take part in the discussions and ask questions to the speakers.

Building a competitive hydrogen economy

The event began with opening remarks by Thorsten Herdan, Head of Department for Energy Policy, Heat and Efficiency at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), Dr Klaus Bonhoff, Head of Department for Policy Matters at the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) and Oda Keppler, Head of Directorate Sustainability and Provision for the Future at the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). In addition to an overview of their funding activities, they emphasised the importance of hydrogen for climate protection across all departments. They also underlined the role of networks for research and innovation. The Hydrogen Research Network might in this way help to bring together different perspectives from industry and research and to identify gaps in research. The exchange within the network is important to enable efficiency increases and cost reductions in practice and thus to increase the competitiveness of German companies in the hydrogen sector.

The invited experts then had their say in specialist presentations. First, Jürgen Wollschläger, Managing Director of the Heide refinery and project coordinator for WEST COAST 100, provided an insight into the real-world laboratory, which focuses on the production of hydrogen from renewable energy sources. Dr Oliver Weinmann, Managing Director of Vattenfall Innovation and Chairman of the NOW Advisory Board, reported on hydrogen projects, for example in the field of mobility or green steel. From a research perspective, Prof. Robert Schlögl and Prof. Karsten Lemmer, both members of the National Hydrogen Council, called for a systemic approach to hydrogen. The production, storage and use of hydrogen should not be considered separately. The subsequent discussion focused on the importance of research, development and networking in establishing a competitive hydrogen economy.

Finally, Rodoula Tryfonidou, Head of the Energy Research, Policy Issues and Strategy Division at the BMWi, concluded by giving an outlook on future cooperation with the members of the research network.

Consultation process on the call for proposals launched

Together with the launch event, the consultation process on the planned BMWi call for proposals on hydrogen technologies in the 7th Energy Research Programme was also launched. Members of the research network are invited to participate online in the consultation process. The call for proposals is to be published this year.