PRESS RELEASE NO. 41/2021 IG Metall: New Federal Government Must Take a Decisive Approach to Hydrogen Funding

Berlin – Through targeted investments and a tailored legal framework, the next federal government must act quickly and decisively to establish a stable and reliable hydrogen infrastructure. IG Metall called on the newly elected members of the Bundestag to do so during its hydrogen conference in Berlin.

With regard to the transformation of industry toward CO2-neutral production methods , Jürgen Kerner, executive board member of IG Metall, said at the conference: “The time has come to decide whether we will preserve good jobs in Germany and create new ones in innovative, future-oriented sectors. This can only be achieved with a strong, clean industry. And hydrogen technology plays a decisive role in this.” Kerner criticized the federal government’s hesitant approach in the past: “There are few countries that have as much industrial know-how as Germany, but also few that are so hesitant to establish a framework for promoting the hydrogen economy. Billions are being made available for the phase-out of coal-fired power and nuclear energy—and rightly so. But when it comes to embracing essential new technologies like green hydrogen, we’re struggling. That needs to change urgently.”

There was broad support for this position from industry stakeholders. For example , Tekin Nasikkol, chairman of the general works council at Thyssenkrupp Steel Europa AG, urged swift action and criticized the federal government’s Steel Action Plan: “The Steel Action Plan is full of concepts but lacks action. While we’re still talking, contracts are already being signed elsewhere.”

Conference participants—including works council members from major steel producers, energy plant manufacturers, the rail industry, the mobility sector, and engine manufacturers—emphasized the urgent need for action on hydrogen and adopted a list of demands addressed to the future federal government. In it, they call, among other things, for an increase in electrolysis capacity to 10 gigawatts by 2030, fixed quotas for green hydrogen, and mandatory employee participation in the upcoming transformation processes at their workplaces.

The conference marked the launch of a new hydrogen initiative through which IG Metall aims to advance the issue at both the political and workplace levels in the interest of good, sustainable jobs.

Read the full position paper

Further information and press photos by Jürgen Kerner