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German Economics Minister Robert Habeck, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre
Photo: Kay Nietfeld / dpa
Germany and Norway want to enter the future business with hydrogen on a large scale.
The German company RWE and the Norwegian energy group Equinor have now signed a declaration of intent that lists numerous goals:
The companies want to build large plants in Norway to produce so-called blue hydrogen from natural gas.
The resulting CO2 is to be split off and stored under the sea.
The hydrogen should then reach Germany via a pipeline.
In Germany, on the other hand, companies are planning new power plants that will initially be operated with natural gas and then gradually with hydrogen as an energy source.
To this end, the companies want to build offshore wind farms together, which will in future enable the production of green, CO2-free hydrogen as an energy source for electricity and other industrial customers in Germany.
"By working together, we will strengthen long-term energy security for Europe's largest industrialized country, while creating energy transition opportunities for industries that cannot be decarbonized through electrification," says Equinor CEO Anders Opedal.
RWE boss Markus Krebber emphasized that rapid expansion of the hydrogen economy is urgently needed.
"Blue hydrogen in large quantities can start and then become greener and greener."
The letter of intent was signed by Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck during a trip to Norway.
The Green politician will meet there, among others, with the Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.
Both governments explicitly support the joint venture between RWE and Equinor.
Germany wants to take all coal-fired power plants off the grid by 2030.
Norway is the largest supplier of natural gas in Europe.
Both the use of blue hydrogen and the storage of captured CO2 are controversial among environmentalists.
Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck had recently shown himself to be increasingly open to both.
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