BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - A draft by the Federal Ministry of Economics for an update of the National Hydrogen Strategy has met with approval from the gas industry, but also criticism. The ministry sets "many right priorities" in the proposal, Timm Kehler, chairman of the industry association Zukunft Gas, told the Deutsche Presse-Agentur. He was critical of the ideas for founding a hydrogen network company with state participation.

The 20-page draft had become known at the end of November. It outlines measures for the further ramp-up of the hydrogen economy. Among other things, it deals with the availability of hydrogen, the expansion of the infrastructure and its use.

According to the draft, a "hydrogen network company with state participation" yet to be founded is to play a central role in planning the hydrogen networks. In the medium term, the network company is to acquire the existing hydrogen pipelines as well as natural gas pipelines to be repurposed and ensure further expansion.

Kehler welcomed, among other things, the initiatives mentioned in the draft to present a hydrogen acceleration law, to lay the foundations for hydrogen power plants, to create import terminals and trading systems, and also to promote blue hydrogen. While the production of green hydrogen does not produce any climate-damaging gases, blue hydrogen produces carbon dioxide. However, it is then stored underground and does not enter the atmosphere.

Kehler, on the other hand, criticized the idea of a state-owned hydrogen grid company. It will certainly not lead to an acceleration. "Here, the established private-sector players are certainly in a much more efficient and powerful position to swiftly transform today's natural gas network into a hydrogen network." He also said the draft's reluctance to use hydrogen in heat supply does not help promote the hydrogen ramp-up./tob/DP/zb