The German Cabinet today (May 29) passed a new law to ease planning approvals for clean hydrogen projects to the accelerate expansion of the energy carrier.
Berlin has said the Hydrogen Acceleration Act creates the legal framework for the “rapid development and expansion of the infrastructure for the production, storage and import of hydrogen.”
Hoped to simplify and digitise planning, approval and procurement procedures, the act is intended to reduce regulatory requires and amends various existing laws.
Once law, it will give hydrogen infrastructure “overriding public interest” status, allowing authorities to prioritise approval.
Climate Minister, Robert Habeck, said an efficient hydrogen infrastructure is of “crucial importance” for industrial decarbonisation, but stressed, “Time is running out.”
He claimed the act “sets the course” for “leaner and faster” planning approval procedures to allow electrolysers and import terminals to go into operation “as quickly as possible.”
“The law removes obstacles to the approval of infrastructure projects that produce, store or import hydrogen,” Habeck added.
Electrolysers look to benefit highly from the act. The government has said electrolyser approvals will face “simplified and unbureaucratic” requirements through an amendment to the Fourth Ordinance for the Implementation of the Federal Immission Control Act (BlmSchv).
The change to the framework which mandates approval for certain industrial and commercial installations with significant environmental impacts are aimed to make planning laws easier for electrolysers.
However, electrolyser operators will have to connect the systems to renewable energy assets or declare intentions to purchase at least 80% renewable electricity before the end of 2029 to benefit from the laws.
In a bid to protect water supply, the act will take a “differentiated approach” for electrolyser water consumption. In areas where water supply is of concern, electrolyser installations will not hold overriding public interest status.
The act will now have to face debate and scrutiny from Germany’s two legislative branches; the Bundesrat and Bundestag.
It comes just weeks after Germany’s €2.2bn plans to decarbonise industry with green hydrogen and electrification were approved by the European Commission.
Read more: Germany’s €2.2bn push for hydrogen and electrification in industry approved by EU
