DWV becomes industry association

By

February 12, 2021

Image titel:

Sources:

DWV becomes industry association

DVGW partnership with DVGW confirmed

Dr. Ulrich Schmidtchen und Eberhard Behrend
Despite years of tireless efforts on behalf of the association, Eberhard Behren and Ulrich Schmidtchen will no longer be members of the board.

For years now, the German Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association, DWV, has been trying to find a new path forward. The association’s annual meeting in Hamburg, Germany, last September did nothing to remedy matters as members once more put off several decisions regarding its future. Finally, a well-organized online event held on Dec. 4 greased the wheels of reform, speeding the DWV on its way to becoming a powerful industry association.

The DWV meeting last fall will be remembered for its quarrels and surprisingly erratic agenda. Some members took the opportunity to air grievances about the DWV’s industry lobbyist aspirations and their discontent with how the board was handling things in general. Further issues involved bylaw validity and expense billing, all of which prevented a vote on indemnifying then-board members and electing a new board. It became more than evident that some issues would need to be addressed at a later date.

When talking with H2-international after the event, Gerald Linke, chairman of the German gas and water industries association DVGW, merely stated “there was a bit of turbulence concerning DWV-internal issues. […] I am confident we will soon come to a collective agreement on our cooperation’s substantive issues.”

Then came the extraordinary general assembly in December, held online. A first for the organization, it clearly illustrated DWV’s effort to solve the issues raised in September. Supported by a well thought-out program and perfectly prepared documents, DWV chairman Werner Diwald took charge of a meeting that was attended by nearly 100 members and lasted nearly six hours. While giving a rather absent-minded impression just a few months ago, even the (unavoidable) glitches didn’t throw him in December, and he kept a steady grip on proceedings throughout the votes and debates.

Although the latest gathering did not respond to all of September’s issues – simply because members failed to raise them – Diwald made sure everyone, including the executive committee candidates, could speak their minds while he himself offered as detailed an answer as possible to every question asked.

Intensified DWV-DVGW partnership

During the December assembly, Linke broke the news that, at a meeting the day before, the DVGW’s executive committee had voted unanimously to partner with the DWV. The collaboration is a financial boon to the DWV. The DVGW, on the other hand, will have access to the DWV’s highly sought-after hydrogen expertise.

Linke then laid out the DVGW’s plan for building an outstanding hydrogen center on behalf of Germany’s energy industry, adding the association is willing to invest around EUR 15 million to pursue an innovative strategy. His statements evidently appealed to many DWV members, as most attendees voiced their support for the partnership.

The overall goal, a close collaboration with the DVGW, will bring about organizational changes and a new budget, both of which were explained in great depth in December. Instead of volunteer board members, the DWV will now have two paid chairpersons and several employees working out of its own office, plus a voluntary executive committee.

Selecting board members falls to those on the newly minted executive committee, comprised of many association veterans as well as some fresh faces. Christopher Hebling, of Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems – ISE, garnered the most votes overall this time around and Silke Frank, of Mission Hydrogen, will become the second woman to serve on the board alongside Birgit Scheppat. Stefan Garche, who represents younger DWV members, didn’t make it, albeit he lost by only a few votes.

On Dec. 10, 2020, during the executive committee’s first session, members then selected Oliver Weinmann, of Vattenfall Europe Innovation, to be their president. Besides Frank and Hebling, he will be supported by Uwe Ringel, who will take on a deputy role on behalf of the DVGW. While Diwald was voted in as chairman at the meeting, it will be up to the DVGW to soon suggest a second chair.

“Together, we have laid the foundation to establish the DWV as the primary address for all hydrogen-related energy, transportation and industrial policies, developing a non-fossil fuel economy.”

Werner Diwald, DWV chair

Kategorien: Germany

Here are interesting and current articles on the topic of hydrogen – stocks and the stock market!

Economic prospects for companies in the hydrogen sector | Future, stocks & hydrogen companies on the stock exchange and more…

Which hydrogen companies will prevail in the competitive market in the long term? Get tips and cartwheels and learn more about risks or opportunities. Our stock market specialist and expert author Sven Jösting reports critically, independently and competently.

Dec 07 2023

Clean hydrogen from waste and plastic

Swedish port on the island Tjörn wants to be completely green Plastic waste is a huge problem to...
Dec 07 2023

Hydrogen version of the Pocket Rocket e-moped

Doubling the distance with a fuel cell range extender An electric moped with a 150-kilometer...
Dec 07 2023

New plants for offshore water treatment

Technology group Bosch is increasing its involvement in water treatment for green hydrogen....
Dec 04 2023

University of Stuttgart orders FC power plant

The University of Stuttgart has ordered a fuel cell power plant from the Bavarian manufacturer...
Nov 29 2023

H2 from seawater

Researchers have succeeded in producing hydrogen directly from seawater In Australia, researchers...
Nov 29 2023

Opportunity for green fuel

Axpo drives H2 production in Switzerland forward The Swiss energy corporation Axpo has identified...
Nov 29 2023

Hydrogen in the Nuremberg metropolitan region

Potential innovation center for hydrogen technologies The German city of Nuremberg is aiming to...
Nov 16 2023

Hydrogen on trend

At the moment, hydrogen is – at least in the energy sector – on everyone’s lips. This is also...
Nov 13 2023

Norway doubles number of H2 projects

Hesitant politicians put the brakes on the expected upswing Activities in the Norwegian hydrogen...
Nov 09 2023

Quicker scaling

Interview with Tassilo Gast from Emerson If hydrogen is expected to change the world, then the...
Nov 09 2023

Germany gets steering committee for H2 standards

Norm writing is a very dry but also very important topic – especially when a completely new...
Nov 06 2023

DWV independent again

Since August 2023, the German hydrogen and fuel cell association (Deutscher Wasserstoff- und...
Nov 06 2023

A hydrogen system for all

Polish company Virtud shows the way About 20 years ago, solar power and Passivhaus design captured...
Nov 06 2023

District becomes hydrogen pioneer

Hydrogen Regions series: HyExpert region AachenPLUS There was once a well-known German sports...
Oct 31 2023

Overcoming hurdles – restructuring – creating knowledge

Hydrogen Regions series: HyExpert region AachenPLUS The HyExpert region of AachenPLUS in Germany...
Oct 31 2023

Photovoltaics and hydrogen in the real world

Guest article by Karl-Heinz Remmers, PV pioneer For a long time the public has held a deep...
Oct 25 2023

National hydrogen strategy 2.0

German government steps up the pace Coordination was hard enough when there were “only” four...
Oct 25 2023

Green full supply all year round

HPS inaugurates home with solar hydrogen storage system In Schöneiche, a suburb east of Berlin,...
Oct 17 2023

Hy-Fcell offered technical tours for the first time

Landesmesse Stuttgart has put the industry event just renamed Hy-Fcell on course for growth. In...
Oct 16 2023

The hydrogen megatrend

Dear readers In recent years, hydrogen has managed to move out of its niche and onto the political...

0 Comments

Leave a Reply