New federal hydrogen targets and new members: AquaVentus continues to grow and is well prepared for the political challenges.
Helgoland/ Berlin – With the electrolysis goals of the new federal government, the AquaVentus support association has also grown. At the turn of the year, seven organizations joined the circle of supporters of the visionary project, which now has 92 members. “The vision of 10 GW of electrolysis capacity from offshore wind energy in the North Sea has gained even more radiance in view of the doubled expansion targets for electrolysis in the coalition agreement,” says Jörg Singer, Chairman of the Board of the Förderverein. By 2030, the German government wants to build 10 GW of electrolysis capacity, especially with the help of offshore wind energy. “We are excited to have new members on board AquaVentus to help shape the German offshore hydrogen industry!”
The new additions come from the energy supply, certification, maritime research, supplier industry, and corporate and investment banking sectors.
More energy
We welcome two companies from the Iberdrola Group as new members. Iberdrola Renovables Deutschland GmbH, which primarily builds and operates offshore wind farms, currently operates the Baltic Eagle farm in the Baltic Sea. As well as Iberdrola Energie Deutschland GmbH, which supplies electricity to large customers and offers individual energy solutions and PPAs.
French energy company Total Energies brings expertise from oil, gas and biofuel production. In addition, the company is investing widely in the expansion of solar and wind energy as well as in possible energy storage systems.
“Safety first” and cutting-edge research
The long-established testing and certification company TÜV SÜD also joins the company. Founded in 1866 as the “Dampfkessel-Revisions-Verein” (Steam Boiler Inspection Association) in Mannheim, TÜV SÜD is today a leading global provider of “Testing”, “Inspection” and “Certification” (TIC). The company combines extensive experience in offshore wind energy with comprehensive hydrogen competencies – from generation to transport and storage to application.
How do space and maritime research fit together? The acquisition of the German Aerospace Research Center (DLR), and more specifically the Institute of Maritime Energy Systems, expands the AquaVentus family to include not only the core competencies of aviation and space, but also transport, security and digitalization. In cooperation with industry, the DLR Institute is transferring these areas to the maritime context by researching solutions for defossilization and emissions reduction in shipping. To this end, modular energy and ship concepts based on alternative fuels are being developed that take the entire energy conversion chain into account.
Steel chains and investments
The fabric that holds everything together is sometimes steel. The medium-sized company THIELE manufactures round steel chains and forged parts in the fields of conveying and lifting technology. The products are used in various industries, wherever customer-specific components are developed, forging expertise is required and high demands on failure-critical components must be met.
The multinational financial services company Natixis, a subsidiary of one of France’s largest banking groups, joins AquaVentus as a further member. The bank’s portfolio ranges from asset and wealth management through corporate and investment banking to insurance and payment services. With its broad-based network, the company aims to promote investments in the hydrogen sector in particular.