The debate over the future of carbon-free steel production using green hydrogen has taken a turn, with the Christian Social Union (CSU) calling it a “dead end.” “In the future, climate protection measures must be industry- and job-friendly” said CSU’s Landesgruppenchef Alexander Dobrindt in an interview with the Rheinische Post. “This means we must end the detour of green steel production and instead focus on CO2 capture and storage.”
The article explains that green hydrogen is produced using renewable energy and is considered a more environmentally friendly option. In contrast, gray hydrogen is produced using fossil fuels and is only considered blue if the CO2 emissions are captured and stored underground through carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology.
The article notes that there are currently around 50 operational CCS projects worldwide, but this is still far from the planned capacity. The technology is also difficult to scale up and can only capture a portion of the new CO2 emissions. The stored emissions must be kept from re-entering the atmosphere, as they can still contribute to global warming over time.
Dobrindt expressed concerns that a shift to green hydrogen could lead to the production of steel being relocated, resulting in a deindustrialization program rather than a genuine climate protection effort. “A policy that leads to production being relocated out of Germany and the CO2 emissions being emitted elsewhere in the world is not a climate protection measure, but a deindustrialization program in disguise” he said.
The article also mentions that CDU leader Friedrich Merz has expressed doubts about a rapid transition to a hydrogen-based steel production, which was met with criticism from Economy Minister Robert Habeck and SPD leader Lars Klingbeil.
The German Federal Constitutional Court’s 2021 climate ruling has also been mentioned, which has obligated the state to transition all areas of life to CO2-free alternatives. The court’s ruling emphasized the importance of taking a timely approach to achieving climate neutrality, stating that the protection of future freedom requires the transition to CO2-free alternatives.