“ThinkTank-H2” – Hydrogen or battery: who will win the race?

The electrical infrastructure for e-mobility is currently being driven forward at full speed. At the same time, hydrogen is becoming increasingly popular. Here politicians have an issue. The question is: on which energy will the new federal government set the more sustainable focus?

Baden-Baden (Germany), 09/15/2021 – “ThinkTank-H2 e.V.” calls on the future Federal Government to provide greater support for the existing momentum in the expansion of hydrogennetworks in the cominglegislative period. Currently, the federal and state governments are investing billions of euros in battery celln factories throughout Gemany for Opel, Varta or CATL/BMW, among others. Mercedes-Benz alone wants to invest 40 billion euros in battery-based electric mobility in this decade. Among other things, experts criticize environmental aspects of battery technology. In many cases, however, it is ignored that the battery industry is also constantly working on improvements. So, the thrill remains.

The question is whether hydrogen will be able to catch up with battery technology. For a long time, the Federal Government has neglected research in hydrogen technologies, says Lutz Bungeroth of “THINK-TANK H2 e.V.” in Baden-Baden (Germany). But it may not be too late to make up for what has been missed. One acknowledges that the federal government has launched a number of funding programmes. Alone in the next 3 years, up to 9 billion euros in funding are available in Germany. However, as of May 2021, only 3 million euros have been asked for. The new federal government, it is called upon to ensure unbureaucratic and fast application and approval channels.

Germany has now gone from being a “leader” to a “follower”, M. Bungeroth continues. A more pragmatic approach was necessary in order to arm oneself against the ever-increasing competition, especially from the Far East. This required stable framework conditions, realistic expansion targets for the distribution of hydrogen in e-mobility with clear priorities and joint action by the private sector and politics. It should be a common concern to equip areas poorly supplied with hydrogen more powerfully than before with appropriate dispensers. “We can still have a say in the decision: does the necessary technology come from, or does it come to Germany? A disaster like the German, then only in China realized ‘Transrapid’ magnetic levitation train or the solar technology must not be repeated with hydrogen”, Bungeroth says.

Background: “THINK-TANK H2 e.V.” is independent and open to technology. It wants to provide guidance in the jungle of interests and arguments around the topic of hydrogen. To this end, it wants to initiate and support concrete projects for the introduction of hydrogen in all sectors. As an “honest broker”, it wants to mediate between the different interests. Members are high-ranking representatives from business, science, and politics.

Further information and images can be found at https://thinktank-h2.org

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