As part of the strategy, the country aims to build 5 gigawatts of green electrolysis capacity by 2030 – and a market for it.  

“German industry offers excellent conditions to become a driver in the market ramp-up of hydrogen and an international pioneer for hydrogen technologies due to the already existing and strongly increasing future demand,” the policy paper says. 

The policy has implications for German steelmakers, who have been exploring hydrogen-based production processes at their integrated facilities. 

Among them is Salzgitter, whose SALCOS program is looking to replace natural gas with hydrogen. 

“With the advent of the National Hydrogen Strategy, the way is clear to address the removal of significant obstacles that impede prompt realization of projects such as SALCOS,” Salzgitter said in a statement applauding the strategy. 

“These include the production and provision of the volumes of hydrogen that will be required in (the) future, as well as putting the political-economic conditions in place that will be needed to facilitate competitive low-CO₂ steel production.”