Hydrogen Project Table Emscher-Lippe Convenes at Science Park

The Hydrogen Project Table met again at the Gelsenkirchen Science Park on March 28, 2023, at the invitation of Bottrop’s Lord Mayor Bernd Tischler. Due to a last-minute schedule change, Tischler was unable to attend and was represented in chairing the meeting by Dr. Babette Nieder.

The conference agenda included information on current funding programs for hydrogen activities from all funding levels— from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia to the EU. The speaker was Nils Westerveld, Hydrogen Coordinator at WiN Emscher-Lippe GmbH. He particularly drew attention to the federal government’s funding advisory service, which can be reached at lotsenstelle@nationale-wasserstoffstrategie.de.

Niklas Reinert provided information on the activities of Business Metropole Ruhr, which operates under the HyMR brand. He expects the federal government’s decision on the HyPerformer project at the end of April, for which EWG Essen has joined forces with the Rhine-Düssel-Wupper Association and WiN EL. The TRANSFORMER project (Transition Super Lab Hydrogen Metropole Ruhr) focuses on designing long-term systemic transition projects.

The third topic addressed the H2 System Cockpit, which was presented by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Klaus Görner from GWI Essen. The overarching objectives of environmental compatibility, economic viability, and security of supply are at the center of these considerations .

The decisive key to the energy transition is sector coupling, Prof. Görner explained. For it to succeed, comprehensive digitalization is a prerequisite (electricity, gas, and heat coupling). In Prof. Görner’s view, H2 as an energy carrier will increase in importance—for mobility, industry, and heat supply. The project sponsors for the H2 System Cockpit are to be GWI, Rhein Ruhr Power, and Evonik, supported by EWG, WiN EL, and h2-netzwerk-ruhr e.V.