Where the billions for green hydrogen should go

 "Alpha Ventus" stands for how quickly a formerly distant future becomes part of everyday life. Just eleven years ago, the first German offshore wind farm went online under this name. Twelve windmills, far away from the mainland, a pilot project Breakthrough - today the North Sea is full of such wind turbines, and "Alpha Ventus" is now being followed by projects such as "Aqua Ventus". At Helgoland, the initiative of the same name wants to generate green hydrogen on a large scale from wind power in the North Sea. One million tons of green hydrogen a year could "soon" be produced there, advertises the development association, which is backed by a number of energy groups and industrial companies. 

And possibly with state funding. On Friday, the Federal Ministry of Economics and Transport presented a list of major projects to which they would like to distribute their hydrogen funding worth billions. There are 62 projects on it, with Aqua Ventus in first place. 19 projects alone, in which green hydrogen is generated from wind power and water by electrolysis, are on the list. In addition, there are a dozen or so projects that are used to transport hydrogen, with 1,700 kilometers of pipelines. And finally, a lot of plans to use the material - be it in steelworks instead of coke, in cement production or in transport. In addition to ThyssenKrupp, Saarstahl, Salzgitter and ArcelorMittal, BMW, Airbus and Daimler Trucks are also on the list of potential recipients. 

"We are in the process of becoming number one in the world when it comes to hydrogen," promises Federal Economics Minister Peter Altmaier (CDU). In the fight against climate change, hydrogen is considered a real miracle weapon. It could replace fossil fuels, especially in areas where a particularly large amount of carbon dioxide has been produced up to now. And because it can be generated with renewable electricity - for example in wind farms at sea - the new energy source would be completely climate-neutral. In its Corona economic stimulus program, the federal government had therefore announced nine billion euros for green hydrogen, seven billion of which were for projects in Germany or in Europe. Eight billion euros should now be available for the 62 projects, with the federal states also contributing something. 

But first the EU has to agree. The chances are good, because Brussels is also working hard to help green gas make a breakthrough. The technology is "of common European interest" and is therefore easier to promote. In a next step, German projects could also become European projects if partners from different EU countries cooperate. Such collaborations are now being examined, says Altmaier. Just a few days ago, the Climate Neutrality Foundation demanded more speed in expanding the hydrogen economy. Politicians must concentrate on those areas "where there are no or no more efficient and cheaper alternatives to hydrogen". The foundation estimates the funding requirement to be three to five billion euros per year by 2035." 

I read twice the businesses listed here. I did not find any Numos-Numavičius companies. Lithuania's best hope for conquering the world went to die in the United Kingdom.