Robert Habeck, minister for economic affairs and climate action
Germany to tender for hydrogen-ready power plants
Gas-fired facilities will be required to switch to 100% hydrogen by 2040, government says in new strategy for country’s power system
The German government plans to tender for up to 10GW of gas-fired power plants with the ability to switch to 100% hydrogen by 2035–40, under a new electricity generation strategy agreed in early February by the coalition partners. Government funding for hydrogen-ready gas-fired plants will be awarded via a series of four back-to-back auction in the near term. The planning and consent process for the new plants will be “substantially accelerated”, the government said. Funding will also be made available for demonstrations of 100% hydrogen-fired plants of up to 500MW. “In addition to the consistent expansion of renewable energies and electricity networks, the decarbonisation and security of su
Also in this section
4 February 2026
Europe’s largest electrolyser manufacturers are losing patience with policymakers as sluggish growth in the green hydrogen sector undermines their decision to expand production capacity
2 February 2026
As a fertiliser feedstock, it is indispensable, but ammonia’s potential as a carbon-free energy carrier is also making it central to global decarbonisation strategies
28 January 2026
The development of hydrogen’s distribution system must speed up if the industry is to stand any chance of grabbing a meaningful slice of the low-carbon energy market
14 January 2026
Continent’s governments must seize the green hydrogen opportunity by refining policies and ramping up the development of supply chains and infrastructure
