Hydrogen supplier from 2025?: Canada is the almost perfect energy partner

Hydrogen supplier from 2025?
Canada is the almost perfect energy partner

By Mary Abdelaziz-Ditzow and Andrea Sellmann
11/18/2022, 7:25 am

Germany, the second largest country in the world, wants to supply green hydrogen for the first time in three years. Democratic values ​​and energy potential make Canada an attractive partner for the energy transition. A seemingly perfect plan – except for three questionable hurdles.

Canada aims to become the third largest hydrogen producer in the world by 2050. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is willing to invest billions in building the appropriate infrastructure. The new sector is expected to create around 360,000 new jobs and generate sales of around 32 billion euros.

These ambitions and Canada’s democratic value system make the country an attractive energy partner for Germany. Almost three months ago, Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck signed an ambitious agreement with Canadian Energy Minister Jonathan Wilkinson in Stephenville: According to this, Canada should supply Germany with the first quantities of green hydrogen as early as 2025. For Habeck, the German-Canadian hydrogen deal is a milestone.

At first glance, a perfect partnership, agrees Till Mansmann, innovation officer for green hydrogen in the Federal Ministry of Research: “Partnerships with countries that are very similar to us in terms of values ​​and economic ideas are particularly important for the ramp-up of hydrogen,” he says in the ntv podcast “Wirtschaft Welt & Weit”.

Warning against too much optimism

But even if the basis is right, there are still a few hurdles to be overcome. “One issue that always plays a role in Canada is the rights of the First Nations,” warns energy expert Hannes Koch not to be overly optimistic. Again and again there are conflicts with Canadian natives due to planned industrial interventions in land and nature. Even if there are no protests in Stephenville at the moment, according to Koch, that could change in the near future. Should there even be court proceedings, this could delay the planning considerably.

In addition, the infrastructure for the production of hydrogen must first be created, emphasizes the energy expert. “These are huge technical plants, ranging from wind farms to desalination plants and electrolysers.” The corresponding port in Canada also has to be built first. In addition, cooperation between ports on both sides of the Atlantic must be promoted and uniform production standards must be created. All of this requires a great deal of know-how and, above all, time.

Politics in duty

In addition, the German economy must also adapt in good time. It is not enough just to ramp up the production of hydrogen in Canada by building the necessary infrastructure. Mansmann reminds that German factories would also have to convert their production facilities in good time in order to be able to use the hydrogen. At this point he also sees politics as having a duty. Innovations must be promoted more and entrepreneurial risks mitigated.

Against the background of the energy transition, it is definitely worth tackling these hurdles in Mansmann’s and Koch’s view. Green hydrogen, which is produced in a climate-neutral manner on the basis of wind or solar energy, is an important building block for Germany to become climate-neutral by 2045.