4th Germany-Korea Hydrogen Conference
On October 31st and November 1st, 2023, the 4th Germany-Korea Hydrogen Conference took place in Seoul. Supported by the German Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF)), the German Federal Ministry for Economics and Climate Action (BMWK), and the Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE), the conference fostered bilateral exchange and cooperation between Korea and Germany on the topic of clean hydrogen. Over 200 experts and decision-makers from both countries actively participated in this two-day event.
The conference kicked-off with a welcome address from Udo Philipp, State Secretary of the BMWK, emphasizing the pivotal role of hydrogen in achieving climate neutrality. Germany and Korea, both leaders in hydrogen innovation, aim to strengthen their positions through collaborative efforts. In this regard, Mr. Philipp underscored the Korean-German Energy Partnership. Mr Kyungsung Kang, Deputy Minister of MOTIE, echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the significance of shared knowledge and cooperation for the development of a hydrogen economy - not only during the conference but also in the future.
Following, Dr. Jens Brandenburg, Parliamentary State Secretary of the BMBF, explained Germany's national hydrogen strategy which amongst others sets the target of reaching at least 10 GW domestic electrolysis capacity in 2030 He also underscored the importance of international discussions and collaboration on hydrogen transport and safety practices, which were also part of the conference program.
The first day continued with a session on Korea’s hydrogen strategy and discussed political measures from Korea, Germany and the EU as well as market trends. Here, H2Global was presented as an instrument for accelerating the ramp-up of the global hydrogen market. Moreover, day one featured sessions on hydrogen production and logistics.
The second day began with speeches from representatives of Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Porsche AG Korea, and the Federal Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM)). The sessions explored diverse topics, from hydrogen applications in mobility and aviation to research and development strategies of industry leaders. The conference concluded with a focus on hydrogen safety, featuring presentations on safety research.
The conference provided a comprehensive overview of the dynamic collaboration between Germany and Korea in the hydrogen sector, encompassing political strategies, innovative technologies, and safety considerations. Valuable discussions and networking opportunities furthered the mutual commitment to a sustainable and carbon-neutral future.
We would like to sincerely thank the speakers for their valuable contribution to the 4th Germany-Korea Hydrogen Conference!
To read the full report please follow this link.
The conference was hosted on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany (BMBF), the Federal Ministry for Economics and Climate Action (BMWK) and the Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE). It was jointly organized by a consortium including Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, H2-Korea, the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Seoul, the AHK Korea Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry), adelphi, Hochschule Anhalt, Fraunhofer IMWS, Korea Institute of Energy Technology (KENTECH), Green Hydrogen H2DeKo, Korea Gas Safety Corporation, National Research Council of Science & Technology and Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung.