Jump to Navigation Jump to search Jump to Content Jump to Footer
NRWGB_RGB_MotivWasserstoff_v3.jpg

Hydrogen in NRW

For a CO2-neutral future

Hydrogen as a technology of the future

Hydrogen is a decisive factor in achieving Germany's ambitious goal of a CO2-neutral future. Particularly in the industrial state of NRW, the need for alternatives to fossil fuels is great. Hydrogen is becoming existentially important for the region – and therefore offers investors and companies enormous growth potential.

NRW is already a top location for hydrogen and fuel technologies. Numerous small and large companies from this sector have already settled here. Experts estimate that up to 130,000 new jobs could be created in connection with hydrogen. And this is happening in all areas of the value chain: research, production, mobility and application. NRW is thus becoming one of the world's most important drivers of innovation in this technology of the future.. 

From research to application

NRW is home to the entire hydrogen chain: plants that generate green hydrogen from green electricity, pipelines that transport the gas across the country, trucks with fuel cells and CO2-free inland shipping all the way to the Netherlands: this is what the future could look like. In NRW it has already begun.

Here, leading companies meet excellent research institutions and an industrial density that makes North Rhine-Westphalia a leading location for hydrogen technologies. The new state government will reinforce this momentum with new stimuli and make North Rhine-Westphalia Europe's first climate-neutral industrial region by building a hydrogen economy.

Autor

Mona Neubaur

Minister of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Action and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia

460.000

Employees
Almost half a million people in NRW work in energy-intensive industry. The state will be a major consumer of hydrogen in the future.

17 TWh

Hydrogen
Industrial companies in NRW already use 17 terawatts (TWh) of hydrogen annually. By 2050, demand will rise to over 100 TWh.

240

Kilometers of pipeline
At 240 kilometers, NRW already has the largest hydrogen network in Germany. According to current plans, it will be twice as long by 2030.

11,000

Fuel cell trucks
By 2030, 11,000 fuel cell trucks are expected to be rolling along the highways in NRW. In addition, there will be an estimated 3,800 buses running on hydrogen.

Production of hydrogen

High-tech of the highest order is needed to generate hydrogen from green electricity. It is already being used in NRW.

Electrolysis on a large scale

Green beacon for Europe

Hydrogen from pure sunlight

Applications in industry

Until now, heavy industry could not function without fossil fuels. In NRW, this is already changing.

Hydrogen in the blast furnace

Hydrogen from natural gas pipelines

International hydrogen competence in Herten

Solid oxide fuel cell in the heart of the Ruhr region

From NRW out into the world

Hydrogen for mobility transition

Hydrogen can replace fossil fuels not only in energy-intensive industry. The element also offers completely new potential in the transportation sector.

Ruhr region to become the heart of hydrogen mobility

Model regions to test new forms of fuel

Water to water

Cutting-edge research to pioneer a new technology

NRW is a leader in hydrogen research – not only in Germany, but all over the world. The brightest minds from internationally renowned research facilities and institutes launch unique projects here.

Artificial sun and more in Jülich

What a hydrogen infrastructure could look like in the future

Photo credits

© NRW.Global Business GmbH
© Land NRW/R. Sondermann

© remotevfx.com, shutterstock.com
© Enapter S.r.l.
© Dorothy Chiron, shutterstock.com
© Scharfsinn, shutterstock.com
© thyssenkrupp Steel Europe AG.
© huyangshu, shuterstock.com
© Chris Hoff, shhutterstock.com
© Lukassek, shutterstock.com
© Robin Schreiber, shutterstock.com
© ON-Photography Germany, shutterstock.com
© r.classen, shutterstock.com
© Andrija Petrovic, shutterstock.com
© luchschenF, shutterstock.com
© JRF e.V., eventfotograf.in

Feel free to contact us!

NRW.Global Business GmbH

Völklinger Str. 4
40219 Düsseldorf, Germany

Innovation topics

North Rhine-Westphalia has long since ceased to be just the land of heavy industry and staid SMEs. In a dynamic environment of excellent research clusters, innovative startups, world market and industry leaders and globally active SMEs, a federal state has developed that stands for economic success in Germany like no other. Whether e-mobility, cyber security, Industry 4.0 or biotech or medtech: In NRW, people are already working on the future.

Biotechnology

Biotechnology

NRW – an innovation center for biotech in Europe Read more

Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity

For a secure digital world Read more

Chemicals & New Materials in NRW

Chemicals & New Materials in NRW

Pioneering sustainable solutions Read more

Digital technologies in NRW

Digital technologies in NRW

Digital change means progress for the future Read more

Energy Technologies in NRW

Energy Technologies in NRW

Advancing the energy transition with innovative solutions Read more

Greentech

Greentech

Solutions for a sustainable future Read more

Hydrogen in NRW

Hydrogen in NRW

For a CO2-neutral future Read more

Medtech - Technologiy for health

Medtech - Technologiy for health

NRW – Growth and Innovation Engine for Medical Technology Read more

Smart industry in NRW

Smart industry in NRW

Production revolution Read more

Smart mobility

Smart mobility

Innovations for smart mobility solutions in NRW Read more