BERLIN (Dow Jones) – Germany and the Netherlands want to work more closely together to explore the potential of hydrogen.

This was agreed by the Federal Minister of Economics Peter Altmaier (CDU) and his Dutch counterpart Eric Wiebes in a joint declaration of intent on the energy transition, which was signed in Berlin on Wednesday. In a feasibility study, the future production of hydrogen from renewable energies and concrete applications will be tested, for example, for the storage of green electricity or new transport drives. The aim is to develop a common European hydrogen directive, the document said.

For this purpose, both countries also want to cooperate in an energy forum with Austria, Belgium, France, Luxembourg, and Switzerland. Germany and the Netherlands have both committed themselves to becoming climate-neutral by 2050, meaning that they will not emit more carbon dioxide than they otherwise save by afforestation or CO2 storage. The Hague is aiming for a coalition exit by 2030, Berlin by 2038.

Controversial is the use of natural gas. While the federal government continues to rely on gas imports and pushes the construction of Nord Stream II, the government in The Hague wants to shut down the gas field of Groningen in the northeast of the Netherlands as soon as possible. It is Europe’s largest natural gas field. Altmaier and Wiebes agreed that a task force should collect data on the exit process.

Germany and the Netherlands also want to work with the EU to reduce investment hurdles for offshore wind farms. It also intends to cooperate more closely with wind power projects in the North Sea.

Source: Dow Jones