- Senator Leonhard expresses confidence in green hydrogen.
Hamburg's Economic Minister, Melanie Leonhard (SPD), continues to back the utilization of green hydrogen, expressing this viewpoint during a gathering of the North German Hydrogen Real Lab (NRL) in Hamburg. Initially, there wasn't complete consensus when she and others touted the green hydrogen's potential for industrial decarbonization, but that's still the situation now. "Despite the criticism I still see, I'm dead set that this is the right path," stated Leonhard.
The NRL is one of 20 such initiatives nationwide focused on decarbonization. Running for five years, it concludes in March 2026, with funding of approximately 55 million euros coming from the Federal Ministry of Economics. The project involves Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, with the objective of reducing 350,000 tons of carbon dioxide. Additionally, it aims to establish a regional electrolytic capacity of 42 megawatts for hydrogen production. At present, the consortium anticipates a yield of around 40 megawatts.
The SPD, with Melanie Leonhard as Hamburg's Economic Minister, is a part of the North German Hydrogen Real Lab (NRL), which includes Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Leonhard, despite facing criticism, remains steadfast in her support for the SPD's advocacy for green hydrogen, seeing it as a key factor in industrial decarbonization.
