Ladies and gentlemen,
Welcome to the Hamburg Senate's reception for Hydrogen Technology Expo Europe. For the next two days, Hamburg will be the center of the international hydrogen and fuel cell industry. About 300 speakers, more than 800 exhibitors and 15,000 visitors will come together at one of the world's leading trade fairs for hydrogen technologies, materials and engineering solutions.
Hamburg is hosting the Expo for the first time and we are excited to be a player in shaping the future of our energy systems. The transition to carbon-neutral energy sources is one of the most important transformations of our time. Green hydrogen plays a central role in this process. It enables decarbonization in areas that are difficult or impossible to decarbonize by direct electrification.
Hydrogen is needed as an alternative to fossil fuels in industry, heavy transport, shipping and aviation. Demand is very high: The German government's hydrogen strategy forecasts that Germany will need 130 terawatt hours of hydrogen energy by 2030.
This is five times the amount of wind power generated by German offshore wind farms last year. 130 terawatt hours in 2030 is five and a half years away. In other words, time is running out.
So, I am happy that Hamburg offers excellent conditions for the hydrogen industry:
- The Hamburg metropolitan region is at the center of the future European hydrogen backbone between Scandinavia and the Netherlands.
- Hamburg is Germany's wind energy capital and a hub of the Northern European energy grid: Two-thirds of Germany's offshore wind farms are controlled from Hamburg.
- Renowned research institutes are working with partners from the private sector and the Hamburg government on pioneering projects to establish the use of green hydrogen.
- As a Hanseatic city with a long history of trade, we have excellent connections around the world. We have already more than 10 hydrogen-related agreements, including with partners in South America and Canada, and
- our port can provide the infrastructure to import green energy sources.
Germany's first import terminal for green ammonia will open in the Port of Hamburg in 2027. The coal-fired power plant in Hamburg-Moorburg has been shut down in 2021. A green hydrogen power plant with a 100 megawatt electrolyser is now being built on the site. Its capacity can be scaled up to 800 megawatts.
Right next door is the Port of Hamburg, Germany's largest industrial area. The hydrogen will be transported directly to industrial customers - such as the metal and chemical industries - via a dedicated pipeline network.
The Hamburg Senate recently supported a company to locate one of the largest and most modern production facilities for PEM stacks, the key element of hydrogen electrolysers, in Hamburg.
With a planned total production capacity of more than five gigawatts of electrolysis power per year, it will make an important contribution to global hydrogen production.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Bringing the European Green Deal to life and building a global hydrogen economy requires a joint effort. We need to share our knowledge, combine our strengths and develop common strategies. And we need strong investors.
Most of this starts with a good idea and a face-to-face meeting - which is what tonight's reception is all about.
I wish you an interesting evening, good business and a pleasant stay in Hamburg.