At its meeting on 28 November in Hanover, the National Hydrogen Council (NWR – Nationaler Wasserstoffrat) took a position on the importance of hydrogen for decarbonising heavy-duty transport: “The decarbonisation of heavy-duty transport is a central component of Germany’s 2030/2035 climate targets and industrial competitiveness. Hydrogen plays an important role in this – technically, economically and geopolitically,” said Felix Matthes, Acting Chair of the NWR. Germany has the technological basis and industrial strength to take a leading role here. The German government’s expert committee warns that speed is now crucial in order to secure a good market position in the global arena against competitor regions such as South Korea and China.
In its statement, the NWR emphasises the urgency of taking action. The next two years will determine whether Germany and Europe will keep pace technologically and industrially in the field of zero-emission drives for heavy commercial vehicles or lose these future markets to Asia. At the same time, the NWR points out that heavy-duty transport can be decarbonised in several ways: Battery-powered heavy-duty trucks will play a central role in the future freight transport system. However, hydrogen offers advantages where battery-electric solutions reach their physical, economic and infrastructural limits.
The NWR makes three recommendations for action to the Federal Government in its statement:
- Accelerated development of infrastructure
- Creation of market incentives
- Ensuring the availability of vehicles and hydrogen
Download the statement (in German, PDF)
Source: www.wasserstoffrat.de
