Hydrogen cooperation

PRESS RELEASE - Oldenburg, 14 October 2022. The companies KME Germany, Georgsmarienhütte, Q1, EWE and the logistics network KNI want to jointly implement hydrogen projects in the Osnabrück economic region and thus advance the transformation of the region on the path to climate neutrality.

On 13 October 2022, Dr Jean-Frédéric Castagnet, Director Technology & Innovation at Georgsmarienhütte Holding GmbH, Wolfgang zur Stadt, Head of General Procurement at KME Germany GmbH, Rolf Meyer, Chairman of KNI - Kompetenznetz Individuallogistik e.V., Martin Hoffschröer, Head of Sustainable Energies at Q1 Energie AG and Tobias Moldenhauer, Head of Hydrogen at energy service provider EWE, signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Oldenburg. The partners are planning, among other things, the construction of a hydrogen production plant with a hydrogen pipeline network to connect Georgsmarienhütte and KME, as well as the construction of hydrogen filling stations at the Q1 sites.

Due to its central geographical location, the region has developed into an economic hub. Large industrial companies are located here, as are small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups. The use of hydrogen plays an important role in making production and logistics more sustainable and climate-neutral in the long term.

Dr Jean-Frédéric Castagnet from the Georgsmarienhütte steelworks: "As a pioneer of climate-friendly steel production in Germany, we at the GMH Group have a clear roadmap to produce completely climate-neutral steel by 2039. An important pillar in this transformation is the availability of green hydrogen. We are therefore pleased to have found strong local partners close to our largest steel plant who will join us on this journey."

Wolfgang zur Stadt from copper manufacturer KME: "Copper is a sustainable material and, due to its excellent technological properties, indispensable for numerous applications, especially for the envisaged energy transition and emobility. At KME, we are working very intensively on the transformation to a climate-neutral company. In our view, the use of green hydrogen will be indispensable in this process. Therefore, we are pleased that we can work together with strong local partners on the realisation."

Rolf Meyer from the logistics network KNI: "The transformation from a fossil logistics world to a sustainable one is one of the biggest challenges facing our industry, especially for the many family businesses in our region, where sustainability is automatically an essential part of their thinking. It will only succeed if we, as logistics companies, also look at the issue end-to-end and the entire value chain. This joint project can take us and our logistics region a significant step further."

Martin Hoffschröer of Q1 Energie: "By 2035, our product portfolio should be climate neutral! Climate-positive green hydrogen is an essential building block for this transformation process. To this end, we are developing the necessary infrastructure in the form of H2 filling stations for heavy-duty transport. In this way, we can also contribute to sustainably strengthening Osnabrück as a logistics location."

Tobias Moldenhauer from the energy company EWE: "Without hydrogen there can be no energy transition, no climate neutrality, no turning away from fossil fuels. However, many players are needed to jointly advance the topic of hydrogen and to fill the national hydrogen strategy with life. Together with our partners, we are therefore pooling our strengths and competences along the entire value chain, from the production of green hydrogen, transport and storage to its use in industry and mobility, and are jointly promoting market entry. We are therefore pleased to be able to drive the energy future of the Osnabrück economic region together with Georgsmarienhütte, KME, Q1 and the logistics network KNI."