At the beginning of July, the European Union presented its hydrogen strategy. The aim is to support the achievement of climate targets by expanding the use of hydrogen (H2) as an energy carrier and to promote the development of a European hydrogen economy. At the same time, the "European Clean Hydrogen Alliance" was formed, which E.ON has now joined.
The alliance, which currently comprises around 200 companies and other organizations, is committed to expanding and implementing hydrogen technologies by 2030. Other goals include promoting demand for low-carbon hydrogen from sectors such as industry and mobility and bringing together hydrogen transmission and distribution.
In order to achieve these goals, the Alliance brings together politics, industry, and society and thus provides the EU Commission with its expertise to advise it on the implementation of its hydrogen strategy.
Potential uses of hydrogen
The extensive use of hydrogen as the energy carrier of the future offers a great opportunity
E.ON was quick to explore the potential uses of hydrogen and can therefore also make a valuable contribution to the European Alliance for Clean Hydrogen. For example, the "Green Gas from Green Power" initiative, which E.ON launched last year, now includes numerous hydrogen projects across the group with different focuses and at different stages.
One example is the "Smart Quart" project, in which E.ON is building a hydrogen network in a community in Rhineland-Palatinate. Initially, green electricity will be converted into hydrogen using power-to-gas technology. This is then fed into a microgrid and can be used to supply local buses or to generate heat.
H2-ready
E.ON is also committed to ensuring that the development of a hydrogen economy gets off to a swift start, for example with a green gas quota or similar mechanisms that make investments possible. For example, E.ON is making its gas distribution networks “h2-ready” for hydrogen by 2030.
Johannes Teyssen, CEO of E.ON, will represent the Group in the European Alliance: “The extensive use of hydrogen as the energy carrier of the future offers a great opportunity and can play a decisive role in the complete decarbonization of the industrial, transport, and residential sectors.”
“I am pleased that we are now able to contribute our expertise not only to the German government's Hydrogen Council, which is chaired by the E.ON Group, but also at the European level in the newly founded alliance.”
The Hydrogen Council
The Hydrogen Council has been chaired by Katherina Reiche, head of the E.ON subsidiary Westenergie, since the beginning of July this year.
The council consists of 25 high-ranking experts from industry, science, and civil society and will contribute to the implementation and further development of the German government's hydrogen strategy.