About the Project
H2Berlin is working with the city's major utilities and municipal companies to make hydrogen a technically, economically and socially viable energy carrier for Berlin. The organisation is led by a Board of Directors that includes Dr. Jörg Buisset (President, Sustainable Hydrogen), Eva Exner (Vice-President, Berliner Wasserbetriebe), Martin Debusmann (Treasurer, Vattenfall), Wolfgang Wüllhorst (BSR) and Dr. Gitta Vischer (Gasag).
Goals and Context
The state of Berlin has set a goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 95% by 2050 compared to 1990. H2Berlin states that opening up and coupling existing hydrogen structures could bring the city closer to this goal. The city has 3.8 million inhabitants, and its households, trade, commerce and services are named as the main sources of CO2 emissions, accounting for 2/3.
Key Findings
- Berlin's hydrogen demand is stated to reach 9,000 tonnes by 2025.
- Hydrogen could use the city's gas and district heating networks to supply households with renewable energy, without costly renovations, relocations or higher rents.
- Hydrogen can also transport energy and offers a possible solution to the storage problem of renewable energy.
- The text describes a polluter balance by sector in percent for 2017, covering traffic, households and GHD, and industry.
Methodology
The three H2Berlin hubs are described as derived from a study conducted by H2Berlin, which are intended to act as nuclei for a city-wide introduction of hydrogen. The text states that these hubs now need to be evaluated in more detail. Candidate sites named include the Reuter/Ruhleben energy site, BMW motorbike production plants, Siemensstadt 2.0, Urban Tech Republic Tegel and Berlin harbour. Co-operating research institutions are TU Berlin, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Fraunhofer Gesellschaft (ISE), Max-Planck-Gesellschaft (FHI) and Helmholtz Gesellschaft Berlin.
The Marzahn and Airport Hubs
- Marzahn: Berliner Energie und Wärme operates a gas and steam turbine power plant there that is already 40% hydrogen-capable. The hub includes the CleanTech Business Park Marzahn, the Rüdersdorf salt cavern for storing hydrogen, and a combined heat and power plant to generate energy with hydrogen when renewable availability is low.
- BER airport area: Adlershof Technology Park and the Blankenfelde Berlin Estate are described as near the airport. In the short term, hydrogen would be produced from bio-methane from Blankenfelde, with electricity from neighbouring wind and solar plants. The solid carbon by-product is described as a raw material for industry.
Partners and Supporters
Supporting organisations listed include BAM, BDEW, Berlin Partner, DWV, H2 Süd, HYCologne, IKEM, InfraLab Berlin and VKU Landesgruppe Berlin Brandenburg. The partners are presented as founders, board members, members and co-operating research institutions.
H2Berlin's Purpose for Berlin's Energy Transition
H2Berlin states that it advances the hydrogen economy in Berlin and invites companies to implement its strategies as partners. It works with companies on projects that introduce hydrogen as a substitute for fossil solutions, and asks interested companies that recognise the potential of hydrogen for their business and Berlin to make contact.