Hydrogen: Aiwanger is looking for partners in Italy and Austria
“Your own domestic hydrogen production” – Hubert Aiwanger (Freie Wahler) has been building this for a long time. These include the construction of new electrolysers and hydrogen filling stations. If the Bavarian Economics Minister has his way, international cooperation should also supplement domestic production. In search of contacts and the exchange of knowledge, Aiwanger is currently traveling through Italy and Austria with a business delegation.
Dependent on hydrogen imports
The background to the trip is a basic problem: In order to become sustainable, industry in Germany must do without fossil fuels. For example, you could Replace natural gas with hydrogen fairly easily. But even that is rare and energy-intensive to produce if it is to be sustainable. Germany and Bavaria will probably not be able to do this alone.
Across the Mediterranean into the pipeline to Bavaria
Aiwanger’s goal first: Veneto. The Italian region is one of the economically stronger areas of Italy and has direct access to the Mediterranean Sea. This could become important if Europe imports hydrogen. This could be produced in North African countries with excess electricity from photovoltaic systems and transported across the Mediterranean.
Hydrogen in old natural gas pipelines?
In Veneto, Aiwanger spoke to representatives of the gas network operator Snam, among others. It has a good 41,000 kilometers of pipelines, which should remain relevant in the future: in 2019, Snam added ten percent hydrogen to the gas in a pipeline as a test. According to experts, it is even possible to replace almost a third of the natural gas in the pipelines with hydrogen. The existing pipeline structure could perhaps continue to be used permanently.
Aiwanger: Industry demands
After the talks in Italy and Austria, Aiwanger said with a view to upgrading the pipelines: “There is a great deal of willingness. Now the clear message must come from the industry.” They have to say how much hydrogen they want to buy in the next few years. Then there will also be investments in the production of hydrogen in North African and other countries, according to Aiwanger.