Rhein-Kreis Neuss Has Excellent Conditions to Become a Central Hydrogen Competence Region in Germany
This became clear during the presentation of the hydrogen roadmap at the Neuss Zeughaus. The goal is to generate additional future-oriented value creation and to establish hydrogen as the basis for secure and climate-neutral electricity and heat production. The hydrogen roadmap was prepared on behalf of Rhein-Kreis Neuss and in cooperation with the association “Wasserstoff Hub Rhein-Kreis Neuss/Rheinland.” It was developed by the consulting firms DMT Energy Engineers and Implement Consulting Group.
“Economic strength and climate protection go hand in hand here. We make a valuable contribution to the energy transition while ensuring that companies in Rhein-Kreis Neuss continue to operate successfully and implement transformation processes,” emphasized District Administrator Hans-Jürgen Petrauschke. “This further increases the attractiveness of the location and helps to secure existing and create new jobs and apprenticeships locally. Additionally, it benefits the environment. People in our district will sustainably benefit from this.”
The hydrogen roadmap lays the foundation for the strategic orientation along this path and highlights the extensive potentials that Rhein-Kreis Neuss offers. This includes the fact that it — like only a few districts in Germany — can obtain hydrogen through various means: via self-production, electrolysis from renewable energies, ammonia imports, and the hydrogen core network. Additionally, there are committed actors like the association Wasserstoff Hub Rhein-Kreis Neuss/Rheinland, founded in 2020 on the initiative of entrepreneur Jutta Zülow at Gut Gnadental in Neuss, and the strong, internationally oriented economic location Rhein-Kreis Neuss with its high innovative strength.
At the presentation of the hydrogen roadmap, Silke Krebs, State Secretary at the Ministry for Economy, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy of North Rhine-Westphalia, Stefanie Peters (Managing Partner of Neuman & Esser Group (NEA) and member of the National Hydrogen Council), and Prof. Dr. Peter Wasserscheid (spokesperson of the Helmholtz Cluster for Sustainable and Infrastructure-Compatible Hydrogen Economy) emphasized the importance of hydrogen as a key element for the energy transition and for the energy mix of the future.
Dr. Thomas Kattenstein (Head of Competence Center Hydrogen at DMT Energy Engineers GmbH and Chairman of h2-netzwerk-ruhr e.V.) presented the hydrogen roadmap. It examines the entire hydrogen value chain and identifies key projects to make hydrogen available on demand and reliably for industry and the economy. For example, up to three hydrogen filling stations could potentially be built in Rhein-Kreis Neuss in the future.
The event concluded with a panel discussion including District Director Dirk Brügge, Dr. Dieter Ostermann (Chairman of Wasserstoff Hub Rhein-Kreis Neuss/Rheinland e.V. and Managing Partner of neoxid group), Thomas Walkiewicz (Technical Managing Director of Stadtwerke Neuss), as well as Stefanie Peters and Prof. Dr. Peter Wasserscheid. There was unanimous agreement that building a holistic hydrogen value chain offers great potential. Rhein-Kreis Neuss aims to harness and utilize this potential in a future-oriented manner.