Germany wants to import large quantities of green hydrogen from Australia using tankers. Australian energy company Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) and German energy company Eon announced this at a press conference in Berlin. Eon is the German parent company of the Dutch Essent.
In the long run, hydrogen, generated with solar and wind energy, will have to replace fossil fuels. It should also reduce the dependence of European countries on Russian fuels, something that the Netherlands and Germany want to achieve as quickly as possible since the war in Ukraine.
However, it will still take some time before hydrogen flows through the pipelines in Germany and the Netherlands. The companies expect to be able to deliver the first tons in 2024 at the earliest. This should then be expanded step by step to 5 million tons of hydrogen by 2030.
Converted, according to the companies, that is as much energy as roughly a third of what Germany now imports in fuel from Russia. That does not mean that everything will go to Germany, the intention is that the Netherlands and other countries will also purchase hydrogen. It has not yet been determined which part will come to the Netherlands, and how the transport and distribution will take place. The companies are still investigating.
The German and Australian governments also support the plan. The German Ministry of Economy and the Australian Ambassador to Germany say they are happy with the move.
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