The German government has put forward a draft 'hydrogen acceleration law', with some changes from a version that its predecessor failed to pass before it collapsed late in 2024.
The law is intended to accelerate development of a hydrogen economy by setting shorter deadlines for permitting procedures and requiring more extensive digitalisation of processes.
The text designates electrolysis plants, storage sites, import facilities and associated cracking or dehydrogenation plans, pipelines and dedicated electricity transmission lines for hydrogen production as being of "overriding public interest". It adds to this list facilities for production of synthetic fuels that comply with the EU's definition of renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBO).
Infrastructure considered as being of overriding public interest takes priority in case of conflicts with certain other rules, for instance those related to environmental disputes or building law. The special status will be in place for all infrastructure covered by the new hydrogen acceleration law until 2045. The previous government had foreseen the overriding public interest would be in place for electrolysis plants and storages until 2045, but limited to 2035 for other infrastructure.
The new draft no longer includes provisions requiring electrolysis plants to demonstrate they are using renewable power until the end of 2029. The previous government's version would have required such facilities to be either directly connected to renewable assets until 2029 or, if connected to the power grid to commit to procuring at least 80pc of electricity through power purchase agreements for renewable power.
The new government has added hydrogen and helium as 'free mineral resources' under the federal mining act. This should facilitate exploration activities for natural hydrogen, sometimes also referred to geological or sub-surface hydrogen, the government said.
Industry participants can respond to the draft until 28 July.
Initial reactions were positive. Getting the draft ready before the summer break shows the government recognises the relevance of spurring on the hydrogen sector, energy and water association BDEW said. The group praised a "pragmatic approach" to the law but reiterated recent warnings around planned funding cuts for hydrogen.
European industry body Hydrogen Europe's chief executive Jorgo Chatzimarkakis said the law will be an "enabling act" for the hydrogen economy. The regulation "finally matches the urgency of industrial transformation," Chatzimarkakis said, urging the EU to follow suit with similar rules.
