Hydrogen Economy: Bavarian-Australian Cooperation

MUNICH  Bavaria and Australia are exploring the possibilities for hydrogen cooperation. This would involve the import of hydrogen from Australia to Bavaria as well as the provision of technology and know-how to Australia. Bavaria’s Minister of Economic Affairs Hubert Aiwanger: “From industrial use to storage and mobility - hydrogen is the solution! Only with hydrogen can we have an impact on climate protection without running the industry into the ground. Bavaria recognised this potential early on. Instead of the short-sighted debate on efficiency, we have been tackling this issue for a long time: We are bringing together the important industry partners from all over the world, promoting electrolysers and hydrogen filling stations. In this way, we are continuing to invest in safe and transportable renewable energies.” These comments were made at an Australian-Bavarian hydrogen meeting with participants from a delegation trip from Australia and Bavarian companies from the H2 Alliance in Munich.
 
Bavaria is pursuing a technology-oriented approach. This involves the development and global export of technologies for the production, storage, transport and use of hydrogen. Aiwanger: “A reliable supply of hydrogen is crucial, especially for Bavaria as an economically strong location with a chemical industry and refineries. We won’t be able to cover the required quantities of hydrogen from domestic production, but will have to rely on imports. Australia has great potential as a producer of green hydrogen and can therefore become an important partner for Bavaria.” A cooperation between the two countries already exists: Australia’s largest commissioned electrolyser to date at Hydrogen Park South Australia is from Siemens Energy.
 
H2.B Co-CEO Prof. Peter Wasserscheid: “The cooperation between Australian and Bavarian hydrogen players has very high potential: Bavaria can provide technological know-how and products for the implementation of large-scale H2 production projects in Australia, but can also contribute to the transformation of the Australian economy. Australia, in turn, has the best prerequisites to become a globally active producer of green hydrogen and green hydrogen derivatives. These are products that Bavaria will need in the future. The fruitful exchange at the Australian-Bavarian Hydrogen Round Table makes us confident that cooperation in these important fields of the future will soon gain significant momentum.”
 
Bavaria plans to connect to a national and European hydrogen network by 2030 at the latest. However, Germany and the EU still lack a legal framework to facilitate the expansion of the hydrogen economy. Bavaria is therefore actively lobbying the federal government and the EU to create transparency and certainty for the upcoming investments as quickly as possible and also to clarify the financial framework.

Source: StMWi

Press number: 188/23