(Berlin) - Germany is currently not producing enough wind and solar power to be able to cover its own demand for green hydrogen. Therefore, “green hydrogen will also have to be imported in the long term”, for example from West and South Africa. This was emphasized by Federal Research Minister Anja Karliczek and the Innovation Officer for “Green Hydrogen”, Stefan Kaufmann, at the presentation of the “Hydrogen Potential Atlas”. 
Since 2020, the research project has been investigating what options there are for the production and export of green hydrogen in Africa. In addition to the conditions for the production of renewable energies and the necessary infrastructure, the authors also consider sustainable development on site. Initial results take particular account of the 15 states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
West Africa could produce many times the amount needed
According to this, up to 165.000 terawatt hours (TWh) of green hydrogen could be produced annually in West Africa alone. That corresponds to 110 times the amount that Germany will probably have to import in 2050. Of this, around 120.000 TWh could be produced for less than 2,50 euros per kilogram. Other studies assumed that the cost of a kilogram of green hydrogen in Germany would be around 2050 euros in 3,80, compared to currently seven to ten euros.
Solar power can be generated most cheaply in the northern regions of West Africa and wind power in the southern regions. Because of the low electricity production costs for solar energy of less than two cents per kilowatt hour in northern West Africa, the costs for producing green hydrogen are particularly low there. Overall, the electricity generation costs for renewable energies in West Africa are around 30 percent lower than in Germany.
The Research Minister has announced the completion of further data and analyzes in June 2021, for example on the costs of seawater desalination, hydrogen export and energy/water transport. Data for regions in South Africa is expected to follow in autumn 2021. The BMBF is funding the joint project “H2 Atlas: Atlas of the potential for green hydrogen production in Africa” from 2020 to 2022 with around 5,7 million euros.
Class schedule
The first variables of the potential atlas for West Africa can be displayed on an interactive map (https://ecowas.h2atlas.de) / © Image: BMBF / Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH
deep link
https://www.bmbf.de/de/potenzialatlas-wasserstoff-afrika-koennte-energieversorger-der-welt-werden-14502.html
https://www.bmbf.de/de/karliczek-westafrika-kann-zum-klimafreundlichen-powerhouse-der-welt-werden-14505.html
Photos
Presentation of the first results of the Hydrogen Potential Atlas (from left to right): Stefan Kaufmann, Innovation Officer for Green Hydrogen, Federal Minister of Education and Research Anja Karliczek, Solomon Nwabueze Agbo, project coordinator on the topic of establishing a hydrogen partnership with West Africa, Christoph Kannengiesser, General Manager of the African Association of German Business. © BMBF/Hans-Joachim Rickel
