Pioneer region of the hydrogen economy

Cross-sectoral development plan for hydrogen infrastructure and production

Together with E.ON, Evonik, RWE, thyssenkrupp and Vonovia, as well as with the RWI - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research and the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Foundation, the MPI CEC wants to accelerate the green transformation on the Rhine and Ruhr. In a joint project, a cross-sectoral future plan for a hydrogen model region is to be developed. The aim is to network pioneering solutions from industry, the energy sector, mobility and housing in order to make the Ruhr region a pioneering region for a successful energy transition.

The Ruhr region is to become the industrial, residential and living area with CO2-free hydrogen in Germany and thus set standards for a hydrogen economy in industrial conurbations.

In doing so, the project aims to describe the transformation in concrete terms and launch pilot projects that will provide at least 50 percent of the hydrogen needed in the region with low greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. As a result, the project should contribute significantly and quickly to the reduction of CO2 emissions in the Ruhr region, while maintaining an efficient industrial region.

To successfully launch and advance the project, partners from science, industry and politics are coming together.

For the MPI CEC, Robert Schlögl, Director of the Department 'Heterogeneous Reaction', is the contact person for the project: "A key challenge for climate neutrality in industry is the rapid conversion of established fossil value chains to new resources and energy sources such as hydrogen and renewables. However, this progress is fundamentally determined by the limited access to these resources. Overarching coordination will greatly accelerate the overall transformation to green products, make it more plannable for everyone, and most importantly, efficient."

Detailed information on the project and all partners involved can be found in the joint press release [.pdf].