Bavaria's six IPCEI shortlisted hydrogen projects may get Eur1 billion

Bavaria's six hydrogen projects on Germany's IPCEI shortlist may receive over Eur1 billion ($1.2 billion) in support if their status as Important Project of Common European Interest is confirmed, Bavaria's prime minister Markus Soeder said June 14.

Bavaria would support the projects with Eur300 million, while the other Eur700 million were to come from the federal budget, Soeder said at a press conference with federal energy minister Peter Altmaier.

Total investment for the selected projects to be developed by BMW, Bosch, Siemens Energy, Bayernoil, Wacker and Hydrogenious LOHC would be Eur2 billion, he added.

Projects include Wacker's 20 MW electrolyzer at Burghausen (RHYHME).

Hydrogenious LOHC Technologie's proposal is part of the Pan-European "Green Hydrogen at Blue Danube" project aiming for a total 1.5 GW total electrolyzer capacity of which a first 20 MW electrolyzer was planned at a hydro plant in Bavaria.

Bayernoil's BayH2 proposal with Vattenfall is for the integration of green hydrogen into the refinery process at Neustadt.

Three other projects based in Germany's biggest state by Siemens Energy, BMW and Bosch were also shortlisted.

Across Germany

Germany's five northern states dominate the shortlist with 24 projects including a cluster of 12 projects in Hamburg expecting over Eur500 million in support.

Some 17 projects focused on four Eastern German states where gas grid operators Ontras and Gascade proposed a network of 475 km of re-purposed gas pipelines to connect hydrogen production and consumption points as part of the 'doing hydrogen' projects.

In total, Germany selected 62 projects for the IPCEI shortlist with the match-making process now underway.

Final confirmation of IPCEI status was expected by end-2021.

IPCEI status would remove potential conflicts with EU state-aid rules.

Germany pledged some Eur8 billion state aid for the projects consisting of Eur5.8 billion from the federal budget and Eur2.2 billion from states.

Funding decision are expected in early 2022.