Senior government and EU officials and scientific and industry experts discussed proposals to expand the use of hydrogen at an online forum dubbed The European Hydrogen Week.

    Among those taking part were Andreas Feicht, State Secretary of Germany’s Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, Pedro Matos Fernandes, Portuguese Environment Minister, and Teresa Ribera, Spain’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Ecological Transition.  Also present were representatives of other countries and companies working with hydrogen or active in promoting its use.

    “The country which manages to create the first market for green hydrogen will hold an economic advantage,” Feicht told the gathering, referring to the form of hydrogen produced from water and renewable energy sources. “Germany has adopted a development plan which calls for investment of 9 billion euros in the development of hydrogen technology.”

    Fernandes told the gathering that the EU had in 2019 adopted an overall strategy on developing hydrogen technology.

    “Portugal adopted a similar strategy this year and the country is counting on cooperation from Spain in working on using hydrogen,” he said.

    Ribera said Spain had approved a plan to produce 40 GW of power from renewal resources by 2030. Green hydrogen was important, she said, but other forms of the gas could be used alongside it.