BERLIN/ESSEN (dpa-AFX) - The National Hydrogen Council has significantly raised its forecast for future hydrogen demand in Germany. The panel of experts, which advises the German government on hydrogen issues, now assumes a total demand of between 94 and 124 terawatt hours (TWh) for 2030. By comparison, around 55 TWh of hydrogen is currently consumed in Germany every year. An initial forecast presented by the NWR in February 2023 assumed a maximum demand of 93 terawatt hours.

The NWR's new estimate is in the same order of magnitude as the update of the German government's National Hydrogen Strategy for 2030 presented in July 2023, namely 95 to 130 terawatt hours. The hydrogen is to come primarily from abroad, but also from within Germany.

The new NWR forecast assumes a demand of at least 28 terawatt hours for the steel industry alone in 2030. Hydrogen produced in a largely climate-neutral way is intended to replace hard coal in steel production and thus help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The NWR now assumes a demand of 22 TWh for heavy goods traffic and at least 21 TWh in the chemical industry.

"If we don't want to remain the laggard in economic growth among industrialized countries, we must finally make progress in ramping up the hydrogen economy," explained NWR member Uwe Lauber. "If we fail here in Germany, we will also fail in our climate protection goals," said Lauber, who is also CEO of engine and turbine manufacturer MAN Energy Solutions.

The Hydrogen Council is made up of 26 experts from business, science and civil society. It is chaired by Katherina Reiche, head of the energy service provider Westenergie, which is part of the Eon energy group /tob/DP/mis