Annual Report 2021: h2-netzwerk-ruhr Benefits from the Hydrogen Hype
For h2-netzwerk-ruhr e.V., 2021 was a very successful year. The number of members grew from 44 to 62, an increase of 12.4%. For the second consecutive year, strong growth was recorded – and the trend continues.
The increase in membership is certainly also an expression of the heightened interest in hydrogen and the associated technologies, whose indispensable role as energy storage and energy carriers has become clear in the climate protection debate. In this situation, many municipalities and companies want to participate in the market ramp-up of hydrogen technologies.
Even the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic could not slow down h2-netzwerk-ruhr. The 2021 general assembly was held in person, and numerous politicians and companies were not deterred from visiting the network.
As a reminder, here are the most important areas of activity of the network:
- Networking of the most important hydrogen stakeholders in the Ruhr metropolitan area
- Participation in regional committees to improve the framework conditions for the hydrogen economy
- Lobbying for the hydrogen economy
- Educational work
- Initiating or supporting hydrogen projects requiring funding
Networking includes promoting collaboration among the network’s members. The general assembly on June 28, 2021, was held with minimal restrictions. It took place in the Schwarzkaue of the former Schlägel und Eisen mine in Herten-Langenbochum. This time, the agenda also included an amendment to the statutes and an expansion of the board to include Friederike Konold (Gelsenwasser AG) and Dipl. Ing. Janine Senner (Gas-Wärme-Institut). The necessary resolutions were passed unanimously.
Due to the pandemic, member evenings could not be held in person, but an online meeting on December 1, 2021 – hosted by Westnetz – was exceptionally well attended and brought many new insights and interesting discussions.
In the area of “participation in regional committees,” h2-netzwerk-ruhr continued to be represented in the “h2 Working Group” of the District President of Münster, Dorothee Feller, through Chairman Volker Lindner. The network is also represented by its chairman as a permanent member of the “Umbau 21” advisory board of the Emscher-Lippe region, where it advocates for the interests of companies engaged with hydrogen. This includes regulatory framework conditions for the hydrogen economy and the provision of commercial sites for the establishment of relevant companies.
As part of the network’s lobbying efforts, numerous discussions were held with politicians. Particularly noteworthy is the visit by North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister of Economic Affairs, Prof. Dr. Andreas Pinkwart, who designated March 31, 2021, as his personal “Hydrogen Day” and visited several project sites in NRW. The H2Herten Application Center and ZBT Duisburg, both network members, were on his visit list.
In addition, delegations with local politicians from various cities in the Ruhr area were received, and presentations on the network’s work were given to municipal committees.
Naturally, educational work suffered most from COVID-19. A new concept was developed with the team led by Julian Klug from HYCON, which is expected to be fully implemented starting in 2022. The educational work of h2-netzwerk-ruhr is primarily aimed at students in upper secondary schools and vocational colleges.
Already in 2020, h2-netzwerk-ruhr, WiN Emscher Lippe, and the IHK Nord-Westfalen commissioned the consulting firm Steinbeis 2i to conduct a feasibility study in the area of project work. This study was intended to determine under what conditions and with what prospects a “Hydrogen Laboratory Ruhr” could be established as a demonstration and operational research center for building large-scale production of electrolyzers in the Ruhr area. The results of the study were presented to the clients in May 2021. It sees great opportunities for implementing the project idea. However, a prerequisite is that a consortium of industrial companies currently and prospectively involved in the production of electrolyzers and components in electrolysis systems be formed. Work is underway on such a consortium structure.
What else happened? At the end of February, Dr. Michael Weber left the Energy Agency and thus also h2-netzwerk-ruhr, for which he had been seconded by the Energy Agency NRW for ten hours per week. His duties were initially taken over by Dr. Frank Koch and Tayhan Özer. Since November 1, 2021, the network has been strengthened by Dr. Désirée Schulte. Désirée Schulte has many years of experience in energy plant construction and consulting for industrial companies, which she will bring to enrich the network’s work in the future.
For 2022, an intensification of contacts with members is planned – accompanied by interviews. In addition, the network’s work is to be more digitalized – including a virtual “bulletin board” to promote exchange among members.
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Inquiries regarding the annual report can be directed to
h2-netzwerk-ruhr e.V.
Peter Brautmeier
Communications and Public Relations
Email: peterbrautmeier@gmx.de
Tel.: 0151 – 5362 4433
