Dear Mr. Bartsch,
Dear Dr. Schmitt,
Dear members of the German Chambers of Commerce Abroad in Chile,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Thank you very much for the invitation to speak about Hamburg’s position on renewable energies and the hydrogen economy.
The main reason to decarbonize our energy supply is climate protection. But after Russia’s attack on Ukraine, we are looking at a new geo-political landscape, and today, independence from fossil fuels is also important for security and economic strength.
Like Chile, the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg has made a commitment to become climate-neutral as soon as possible.
To reach this goal, we are implementing policies that support the decarbonization of industrial production, the development of sustainable urban infrastructure and mobility, and the transition of our energy sector towards climate-friendly power sources and technologies.
Hamburg is a major center for onshore and offshore wind energy. Two out of three wind parks off the German coast are managed from our city. This September, Hamburg will host “Wind Energy 2022”, the leading trade fair for the international wind energy industry.
In order to use power from renewable sources for our industry, we are planning a large-scale electrolyzer. The Green hydrogen that we generate will be used in our aviation sector and for the production of steel and metals.
However, neither Hamburg nor Germany will be able to produce sufficient amounts of hydrogen to meet all of our energy needs. This is why Hamburg is aiming to become a leading European hub for the import and distribution of hydrogen, especially green hydrogen.
The Port of Hamburg is the third-largest seaport in Europe, Germany’s largest industrial area, and a major hub for rail logistics. We already have a lot of relevant infrastructure in place and are investing in additional facilities and new technology.
But for the future import of hydrogen, Hamburg needs reliable international partners for a successful and long-term co-operation.
Chile and Germany have been linked by an official “Energy Partnership” since 2019. Hamburg’s excellence in logistics and Chile’s great potential for the production of hydrogen are a great match in this partnership.
Today, I will sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the Hamburg Senate, the Hamburg Port Authority, and the Chilean Ministry of Energy, declaring our mutual interest in exploring the potential of green hydrogen.
This agreement will provide a strong foundation for future co-operation between our two countries, between our ports, and hopefully also between private companies.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I invite all of you to take the opportunity of this meeting to make new contacts and lay the foundation for many new ventures between Hamburg and Chile.
On behalf of the Hamburg Senate and our entire delegation, I would like to thank the team of the Chamber of Commerce in Santiago de Chile for organizing this event. I wish you an inspiring discussion and many new ideas for the future of the German-Chilean energy co-operation.
Thank you very much.