Schnettler: Siemens Energy offers all the core technologies for a long-term carbon-free – i.e., fully decarbonized – energy supply from generation to consumption. We are fully committed to the goal of clean energy generation. Starting with the generation of electricity and heat using renewable energy or gas-fired power plants with hybrid concepts if necessary, continuing via power transmission and distribution to efficient PEM electrolysis of hydrogen using a so-called polymer electrolyte membrane or proton exchange membrane, or PEM for short.

Currently we are running, e.g., the world’s most powerful PEM electrolyzer with our partners in Linz, Austria. In addition, the largest PEM electrolyzers have already been operating successfully in Germany for years – but each with an installed capacity in the megawatt range. We are aiming for the gigawatt class in order to successfully implement the energy transition and achieve sector coupling.

In this respect, we were very pleased when German Federal Minister Altmaier announced the hydrogen real laboratories. It’s an important step into the future. All processes, even following electrolysis, are tested there. The hydrogen is initially stored ...

Thiemann: ... and can, for example, be converted back into electricity by using it to fuel retrofitted gas turbines or converted into methanol. For this purpose, Siemens Energy offers the turbines, transformers, grid connection, and medium-voltage switchgear for power distribution – so basically the core technology components are available.

Schnettler: Without forgetting the heat pumps, which enable waste heat to be used as district heating. And of course intelligent network control systems.

Thiemann: Incidentally, the turbine manufacturers who are members of the EUTurbines association made a “Renewable Gas Commitment” in January 2019. They announced that they would supply gas turbines by 2020 that can run on 20 percent H 2 – and by 2030 on 100 percent H 2 . The manufacturers have placed a strong focus on this topic.