“Renewable hydrogen will help our customers to become fossil free”

Three questions to Oliver Weinmann, new board member of Hydrogen Europe.

Hydrogen can play an essential role for the decarbonisation of society and in particular reducing the CO2-emissions sectors such as steel and chemical industry but also heavy duty and public transport.

Hydrogen Europe is a European branch association based in Brussels, representing more than 150 companies, national associations and research centres active in the area of hydrogen. Recently Vattenfall took a seat at the organisation’s board as Oliver Weinmann, Managing Director of Vattenfall Innovation was elected a new board member. Weinmann will represent the energy sector.

What does this mean to Vattenfall, Oliver Weinmann?

OW-2017_klein-pref-500.jpg“It shows that our engagement is taken seriously, and Vattenfall seen as one of the key players in this field. I see a lot of benefits: to be a board member will increase our networking opportunities towards the industry as well as to European politics and the European Commission and will strengthen our opportunity to shape hydrogen deployment. Personally, I am looking very much forward to be engaged in the European scene  to promote a crucial part of the energy transition,”

What topics will you drive in the board?

“At present we are at the beginning of the market scale-up of hydrogen and we need to accelerate the development.  This concerns the production of hydrogen with renewable and  fossil free energy as well as the use of hydrogen to decarbonise industry, transport, and – in a longer perspective  – also the heating sector. To achieve this, an investment-friendly regulatory framework for hydrogen produced from renewable sources is necessary. Today, this is not always the situation and we argue for a level playing field for renewable hydrogen compared to fossil fuels. The European Commission is looking into the future regulatory framework for hydrogen, that eventually will also be applicable in the various member states.”

How important is hydrogen for Vattenfall?

“Hydrogen produced from renewable energy will be a key element to help our customers to decarbonise areas where direct electrification is not possible. Together with project partners, we are conducting several promising projects and initiatives such as HYBRIT in Sweden and HySynGas in Germany. And as a leading operator of wind farms today, we want to play an important role in delivering the renewable electricity needed to produce the demand of renewable hydrogen.  This fits perfectly our vision to enable fossil-free living within one generation,” Weinmann says.

Read more about Vattenfall’s hydrogen projects

See also

Climate change – can we overcome the bad news problem? Brussels Summit 2024. Tuesday 24th September - Online

Climate change – can we overcome the bad news problem?

An interactive event hosted in Brussels on 24 September will shine a light on attitudes towards news reporting and stakeholder communication about climate change. Bringing together leading f...

Read the full article
Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson, expert climate and environmental journalist
Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson

Hope in the Face of Climate Change: The Role of Indigenous Knowledge and Community Resilience

In a world increasingly threatened by climate change, finding hope can be challenging. Yet, there are signs of optimism driven by resilient communities and the integration of indigenous know...

Read the full article
Horns Rev 3 offshore wind farm

Vattenfall sets circular economy target for permanent magnets

Vattenfall has announced its commitment to achieving 100% circular outflow of permanent magnets from their wind farms decommissioned from 2030 onwards. This initiative marks Vattenfall as th...

Read the full article