(Berlin / Oslo) – In the future, Norway and Germany will work more closely together in the areas of energy, climate policy and industrial transformation. During a visit by Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck to Oslo last week, both countries reaffirmed their common climate goals and the development of a “new green industry”.
Habeck met both Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gare Støre and his Norwegian counterpart Terje Aasland, Minister for Oil and Energy. The program also included discussions with Jan Christian Vestre, Minister for Industry and Trade, and Espen Barth Eide, Minister for Climate and Environment.
“Large-scale supply of hydrogen” by 2030
The countries reiterated their intention to “ensure a large-scale supply of hydrogen with the necessary infrastructure from Norway to Germany by 2030,” the Norwegian government said. “We will explore the technical and economic feasibility of such solutions, particularly through a large-scale pipeline.”
In addition, the possibilities of large-scale hydrogen transport from Norway to Germany are being investigated, but also CO2 transport from Germany to Norway. The joint feasibility study is led by the Norwegian state gas network operator Gassco and the German Energy Agency (DENA). “Numerous industrial partners” would be involved, although they were not named. The first results are expected in the spring of this year.
First blue, then green hydrogen
In order to make large quantities of hydrogen available with zero or low emissions as quickly as possible, Norway says it is planning to use hydrogen from natural gas (blue hydrogen) with carbon capture and storage (CCS) “for a transitional period”. Green hydrogen can then be gradually “integrated into the shared transport infrastructure”.
A joint statement states that both countries will agree on the next steps within the framework of a work program to be regularly updated. This includes:
- Air conditioning: Exchange about current procedures and developments in national and European climate policy.
- Hydrogen: Norway should ensure Germany's supply of hydrogen. The individual steps are named separately.
- Renewable energies / offshore wind: Development of offshore wind power including the development of an offshore grid infrastructure.
- Emissions / CCS: Norway will provide information on the possibilities of capturing, transporting and long-term storage of CO2 on the Norwegian continental shelf. This also includes discussing options for CO2 infrastructure and value chains, including a CO2 pipeline from Germany to Norway.
- Raw materials, processed materials and batteries: Intensifying strategic value chains and strengthening industrial networks. The countries want to hold a “business workshop” on the topic of “green industrial change”. Thematically relevant are carbon-neutral and energy-intensive production processes, including for steel, aluminum and silicon, the production of battery raw materials and the production of batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage systems, as well as raw materials that are crucial for green technologies.
- Sea transport: Measures for environmentally friendly shipping should be strengthened, particularly with a view to gradually reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
- Microelectronics: This also includes deepening cooperation between German-based semiconductor manufacturers and Norwegian development and research capacities in the areas of renewable energy and environmental technologies, as well as business development and further partnerships in chip development and manufacturing.
Robert Habeck's visit program also included a visit to the world's first industrial-scale carbon capture plant at Heidelberg Materials' Norcem cement plant in Brevik, as well as a visit to the Herøya industrial park owned by Nel. The world's first fully automated factory for the production of electrolyzers went into operation there.
According to figures from the European Hydrogen Backbone, Norway has production potential of up to 50 terawatt hours (TWh) of green hydrogen by 2030 and 150 TWh by 2040.
Photos
Robert Habeck and Jonas Gare Støre presented the key points of cooperation between the two countries at a joint press conference in Oslo. © Government.no
