The foundation for the production of green hydrogen at sea is being laid: The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy has drawn up criteria for the allocation of “other energy areas” in the North Sea and Baltic Sea. The land is expected to be awarded in 2022 following the tender process. This is a fundamental requirement for the AquaVentus concept. That is why the sponsoring association has taken a stand on this. The most important points at a glance:

1. A hydrogen pipeline is now considered as a transportation system in the award process and is preferred over transportation by ship. The catch is that project developers who want to use existing gas pipelines for offshore transport will be better off in the award process.
2. In addition, the land development plan (FEP) lags behind the new allocation criteria in terms of the hydrogen pipeline. The pipeline is specifically prohibited in the FEP.
3. The next sticking point is financial support. How and in what amount it is to be paid has not been clarified at any point. This means a greater investment risk for the companies applying.