The German government has announced the passing of a new law by the cabinet that will accelerate the implementation of hydrogen projects and the expansion of the necessary infrastructure across the country.
Called the Hydrogen Acceleration Act, this new regulation will accelerate, facilitate and digitalize the planning, approval and procurement procedures of hydrogen projects. Having the overriding public interest status, the law will allow the local authorities to prioritize hydrogen project approvals, intending to rapidly develop the infrastructure for hydrogen production, storage and imports.
Also, electrolyzer projects, which are an important part of hydrogen production, are included in the same act. However, the government stated that the overriding public status does not apply if electrolyzer projects put drinking water resources and water supply at risk.
Last week, Luxembourg-based steelmaker ArcelorMittal urged the German government to implement a clearer policy on green transition in order to continue its decarbonization efforts in Germany, as SteelOrbis reported previously. Despite the EU-approved funding from the German government for the planned decarbonization of its Bremen and Eisenhüttenstadt plants, ArcelorMittal pointed out that it was still facing challenges, due to high energy and hydrogen costs. Additionally, the German steel federation Wirtschaftsvereinigung Stahl (WV Stahl) has expressed its complaints on the same issue.