Danish and German cooperation is an important step for green hydrogen in Europe

Published 30-05-2024

The aim is European climate neutrality – and developing an infrastructure for green hydrogen spanning across borders is a key tool. The climate ministers from Denmark and Germany met to discuss the joint hydrogen-cooperation.

Green hydrogen is an important step towards a greener future. Among other things, it can be used to decarbonise heavy industry and as a green alternative to power airplanes and ships, replacing the fossil fuels used today. 

Last year, Denmark and Germany signed a joint declaration of intent, establishing bilateral cooperation on green hydrogen and the integration of both countries’ energy systems. The goal is to be able to transport green hydrogen from Denmark to Northern Germany via a land-based pipeline.

Since then, both countries have set out the economic framework conditions and the transmission system operators have continued their cooperation.

The two ministers met to discuss the progress of the cooperation on green hydrogen, as well as the overall architecture of the future European energy system, offshore wind, and infrastructure for carbon capture and storage.

We need green hydrogen to replace fossil fuels in hard to abate sectors. In Denmark, we are aiming to produce much more green energy than we can possibly use – and some of that energy should be used to produce green hydrogen. The Danish-German cooperation on a cross-border pipeline connecting our two countries is an important part of connecting producers and offtakers of green hydrogen throughout the EU. We have come a long way since we signed the declaration last year – and looking at the developments in our two countries, I remain highly optimistic,” says Danish Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities Lars Aagaard.

“A close and frequent German-Danish exchange has been established to jointly address infrastructural, regulatory and economic issues. Denmark has been a long-standing and reliable partner of Germany in climate action. We share the common vision of building a climate-neutral continent by 2050. It is in our common interest for Denmark to play a vital part in supplying to Germany substantial green hydrogen quantities necessary for the transformation of German industry. The decarbonization projects of the German steel industry, selected under IPCEI hydrogen, will generate a significant demand for green hydrogen in the 2030s,” says German Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck.

These years, the framework for the European hydrogen economy is being established. With the recent adoption of the hydrogen and decarbonised gas markets package important clarity has been provided to the market actors and the market development can formally begin.

The results of the first tender of the European Hydrogen Bank also hold great promise for upscaling the European production capacity.

Contact the press office of the Ministry for Climate, Energy and Utilities on +45 41 72 38 05