Creation of a hydrogen cluster structure in the Metropolitan Region Hamburg by Renewable Energy Hamburg The established Renewable Energy Hamburg Cluster (EEHH) is being expanded to include hydrogen.

Hamburg is well on its way to becoming one of the major cities on the hydrogen map. Consistently incorporated in the North German Hydrogen Strategy and within the guidelines of the Climate Plan and Coalition Agreement, Hamburg’s economic policy involves pursuing the decarbonisation of its port, industry, logistics and air transport, as well as the development of a competitive green hydrogen economy, in order to ensure an almost complete supply along the value chain for all consumers with an interest in green hydrogen. As well as climate protection, there is also considerable potential for the future value creation, growth and competitiveness of the Hamburg economy.

To achieve these ambitious targets and give stakeholders from business, science and the city a common platform and networking opportunities, Hamburg is creating a hydrogen economy cluster as a consistent continuation of its successful, long-standing cluster policy. As part of its cluster strategy, Hamburg consistently promotes innovation, growth and employment in sustainable economic sectors. The Hamburg Clusters are specialist strategic agencies that give the region a clear competence profile which extends far beyond its borders and attracts mobile capital, talent and expertise, as well as companies and specialists with all kinds of qualifications.

The hydrogen cluster structure will be implemented by creating an organisational link with the already established and successful Renewable Energy Hamburg Cluster (EEHH). The common theme of decarbonisation and large amount of overlap between stakeholders will allow meaningful synergies to be exploited and the development of a hydrogen economy to be pushed ahead at full speed by using existing structures in the successfully established cluster.

Established in 2010 with around 50 members, the Renewable Energy Hamburg Cluster (EEHH) now has almost 200 member companies from the renewable energies and energy supply sectors, as well as suppliers and service companies. Since 2016, the Cluster has been pursuing an expanded strategy, which alongside the development of the renewable energies of wind, solar and bioenergy in the electricity sector, also has a strong focus on the heating sector and comprehensive systems expertise. EEHH has been an extremely active network stakeholder for the past five years in terms of developing the sector coupling expertise of its Cluster members. Green electricity is increasingly being used in the heating and transport sectors, as well as in industry. EEHH has also been actively involved in energy storage and hydrogen projects for a long time. For four years, the Cluster has carried out specialist marketing for the NEW4.0 sector coupling consortium, for example.

The strategic basis for inclusion in the EEHH Cluster is that the first pillar should continue the development of renewable energies, the second pillar should promote sector coupling, load flexibility and energy storage and a new third pillar should support the creation of a hydrogen economy. The key principles are that hydrogen should stem mainly from green electricity and value creation should be developed in the Hamburg Metropolitan Region. The second level of the strategy also includes plans to import green hydrogen. For overall environmental reasons, hydrogen should be used as a priority for the decarbonisation of industrial and chemical firms, as there are often no alternative options for this. The aim is also to use hydrogen in selected mobility sectors: heavy goods transport by road, shipping and civilian air traffic. This strategic approach is now being further intensified by members of the Renewable Energy Hamburg Cluster and the hydrogen economy.

The implementation of a permanent work structure and work content for the development of a hydrogen economy in the EEHH Cluster will be developed in the first half of 2021. To represent the new topic of hydrogen on the EEHH e.V. Board, Dr Fabian Ziegler, Managing Director of Deutsche Shell Holding GmbH, has been appointed as a co-opted member. Partnership agreements with other sectors and clusters that may use hydrogen are also expected to be concluded soon.

On 26 March 2021, the Hamburg Ministry of Economics and Innovation and the EEHH Cluster will host a virtual kick-off event for stakeholders in the renewable energies sector and the future hydrogen economy.

Senator Michael Westhagemann: “Hydrogen offers Hamburg, an important industrial centre, great opportunities for strengthening economic performance and value creation, as well as boosting the quality of life. For decades, Hamburg has been able to rely on a diverse and committed field of stakeholders in the hydrogen sector. By linking hydrogen to the established and successful EEHH Cluster, we now want to use important synergies to give these stakeholders common ground and push ahead at full speed with the development of a green hydrogen economy in Hamburg.”

Dr Fabian Ziegler, Managing Director of Shell in Germany: “I am looking forward to working with the EEHH Cluster to promote the hydrogen economy in the Hamburg Metropolitan Region and northern Germany. As a partner of the 'Hamburg Green Hydrogen Hub' project that we are planning at the Moorburg location, together with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Vattenfall and Wärme Hamburg, we are confident that hydrogen can play a major role in the decarbonisation of industry and logistics at the port of Hamburg.”

Sebastian Averdung, CEO of Renewable Energies e.V.: "For our members, the energy system concept has been at the centre of the EEHH Cluster’s work for more than five years. Many synergies have arisen in the Cluster because members store green electricity from wind or solar projects for a shorter or longer period of time and that this electricity is used to decarbonise industry, transport and heat supply. We are pleased that we can continue on this path with a strong hydrogen base.”

Jan Rispens, Managing Director of Erneuerbare Energien Hamburg GmbH: “The ambitious expansion of renewable energies in the form of onshore and offshore wind energy, solar energy, as well as bioenergy and geothermal energy, is and will remain the basis of the future hydrogen economy. Many of our members are already bridging the sectors by building wind or solar farms, thereby implementing the first pilot projects of a hydrogen economy. The present regulation of the electricity market must be greatly improved to achieve the necessary economies of scale here in northern Germany with sufficient domestic green electricity.”

Media enquiries:

Susanne Meinecke, Press Officer, Hamburg Ministry of Economics and Innovation
Tel: +49 (0)40/742841-2239
Email: pressestelle@bwi.hamburg.de

Astrid Dose, Project Manager PR & Marketing, EEHH Cluster
Tel: +49 (0)40/694573-12
Email: astrid.dose@eehh.de