In a unified appeal to the German government, a coalition of industry associations — including BDEW, AquaVentus, BEE, BWO, DWV, DVGW, FNB Gas, EEHH, EESH, Energieküste SH, HYPOS, WAB, the VDMA Association, and IG Metall (Coast District) — is calling for offshore hydrogen production through electrolysis to be fully incorporated into the country’s offshore wind expansion framework. This joint position, branded as the “Hydrogen Eight” initiative, aims to address the gap in current planning that overlooks the role offshore electrolysis could play in advancing both hydrogen supply and wind energy cost-efficiency.

Offshore hydrogen production, enabled by combining submarine cables with hydrogen pipelines, offers a scalable and cost-effective solution to transport renewable energy in molecular form, especially from distant offshore locations.

The associations further stressed the importance of accelerating pilot projects and launching staggered tenders, such as those under the SEN-1 sector, to validate offshore hydrogen technologies and scale up production capabilities.