Set up offshore electrolysis correctly from the start - BWO for market consultation on the cornerstones of the "offshore electrolysis" funding guideline
“It is good that the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection has now drawn up key points for funding the construction of offshore electrolysis projects. The interest of the industry is great", comments BWO Managing Director Stefan Thimm on the proposals of the BMWK. However, the association sees the need to set the course differently when it comes to funding the projects.
The BWO holds the tender for a single area of 95 km2 for clearly too large and suggests the division of the area into two partial areas. "A division into two smaller sub-areas and the tender in two phases is urgently recommended from a business and economic point of view. This would enable a gradual scaling of the technology and the use of learning effects. Because in order to work economically, you first need to test on smaller areas in order to gain experience and convert it into technical progress and innovations.”
A chronological separation of the tenders for funding on the one hand and the tender for the area on the other hand, as proposed in the current key points, is not very effective. The bidder for an area must be informed of the amount of the subsidy well in advance of submitting a bid.
The BWO also criticizes the BMWK's planned allocation of offshore electrolysis funding directly with responsibility for the development of the line infrastructure: "In terms of regulatory policy, this is unusual anyway and contradicts the customs of unbundling," says Thimm. The aim of this is to ensure the network operator's independence from other areas of energy supply activity.
Hintergrund: The BMWK has presented key points for a funding guideline for the construction of offshore electrolysis projects and has consulted the stakeholders in recent weeks.