Hydrogen: DIHK Impulses for Market Ramp-Up

International partnerships, suitable infrastructures, a reliable legal framework, and more: What is necessary for the hydrogen market in Germany to ramp up as quickly as possible has been summarized by the DIHK in February 2023 across five key impulses.

Against the backdrop of the current energy crisis and looking ahead to the politically envisioned climate neutrality by 2045, hydrogen and its derivatives play a crucial part in the solution if they can be produced or imported in sufficient quantities at competitive prices. Hydrogen offers the significant advantage of being transportable over long distances and storable for extended periods, which makes it a valuable complement to renewable energy sources. Additionally, it can replace gas in high-temperature processes.

Especially in energy-intensive industries that currently rely heavily on gas or coal, there is great interest in using hydrogen for climate-neutral production. In 2021, natural gas accounted for almost 34 percent of the final energy consumption in sectors like industry and commerce/trade/services and was thus the most important energy source for process heat. Moreover, hydrogen will play a pivotal role in power generation, transportation, and possibly even in the heating sector.

To ensure the hydrogen ramp-up in Germany progresses at the required pace, the right framework conditions are essential. From the perspective of the commercial economy, the focus is on the following key points:

Accordion H2 Impulse Paper

Position Paper from 2020

Ideas for a rapid market ramp-up were already formulated by the DIHK in mid-2020 as part of the National Hydrogen Strategy:
A Market for Hydrogen – DIHK Guidelines (only available in German)