The head of Germany’s state-owned development bank, KfW, Stefan Wintels, has advocated for enhanced European energy autonomy and proposed the construction of a hydrogen pipeline connecting Spain and Germany. Speaking to the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung”, Wintels emphasized the importance of preventing the creation of new dependencies as Europe moves away from historical energy sources. He argued that achieving genuine energy autonomy will necessitate a distinctly European approach to energy policy.
Wintels expressed skepticism regarding the feasibility of large-scale domestic hydrogen production along Germany’s North Sea coast, suggesting that a significant portion of the hydrogen required to decarbonize industries like steel manufacturing will need to be imported. He highlighted Spain’s potential to rapidly achieve extremely low-cost, near-zero production costs for hydrogen due to favorable conditions for solar energy generation.
The viability of hydrogen projects, according to Wintels, is not primarily dictated by technological advancements. Instead, he stressed the necessity of producing green energy at near-zero production costs and processing it through scalable infrastructure. He also noted the importance of export opportunities, potentially through the trade of hydrogen derivatives like ammonia, in strengthening the overall economic case for hydrogen initiatives. While outlining a clear path forward, Wintels cautioned that entrepreneurial ventures remain subject to uncertainties.
