© Climate Alliance Germany
Interview with Christiane Averbeck of Climate Alliance Germany
Discussions around Germany’s approach to hydrogen are in full progress. Although several members of the German government regularly emphasize that green hydrogen will benefit the most from public funding, there are also those who want to see blue and turquoise hydrogen playing a key role – with some of those voices coming from Germany’s National Hydrogen Council. Two environmental associations, BUND and Climate Alliance, have now distanced themselves from this view by declaring their opposition to the use of fossil-based hydrogen and natural gas. In this interview, Christiane Averbeck, executive director of Climate Alliance Germany, outlines her objections to the strategy discussed by the hydrogen council this spring. Climate Alliance Germany is made up of around 140 organizations from all sectors of civil society. Averbeck has been a member of the National Hydrogen Council since June 2020.
Ms. Averbeck, the National Hydrogen Council – the German government’s advisory body – formulated a hydrogen road map in mid-May 2021 and will be presenting this to the government at the beginning of July. You support the resolution, yet you have issued a statement of dissension in the name of Climate Alliance Germany. Why?
Averbeck: Overall, we have developed a good work culture within the hydrogen council. Although its members come from very different institutional backgrounds, they have come together on many issues. However, views regarding the use of fossil-based hydrogen and natural gas as “bridging technologies” strongly differ. We have decided to highlight this with our statement on the recently formulated “hydrogen road map.”
Our advice to the incoming government is to concentrate all development funds on the production of green, renewables-based hydrogen. If we want to achieve a carbon-neutral energy system as quickly as possible, we need to have clear prioritization in this regard. That is the point that Climate Alliance and BUND want to make with the joint statement of dissension.
The 27 members of the hydrogen council don’t only represent companies who are hoping for new business opportunities from a hydrogen economy, they also include renowned environmental scientists. Did they not share your views or support them at least?
The members of the hydrogen council do have a shared vision of the future – a carbon-neutral, hydrogen-based energy system. But opinions are divided on how quickly this can be achieved and what compromises need to be made to facilitate the industry’s transition to a green hydrogen economy. We strongly believe that we should choose the direct route with green hydrogen. Others are more skeptical about this.
… Read more in the latest H2-International e-Journal, May 2021
Interviewer: Jörg Staude, klimareporter.de
So Germany’s Government insists on selling Grey Hydrogen produced by existing Oil & Gas Companies with all its serious-to-health emissions at Euros 9.50 per Kg.
Green Hydrogen can now be produced from Seawater + a Mineral Catalyst that causes a chemical reaction to take place which separates H2 from Oxygen at sub $0.90 cents per Kg. The system was independently validated by TUV-Nord last year.