By Andrea Thomas
BERLIN (Dow Jones)–Germany and the USA have established a climate and energy partnership. This partnership includes closer cooperation in the expansion of renewable energies, such as offshore wind power and hydrogen.
The agreement was signed on Friday on the sidelines of the G7 meeting of climate, environment and energy ministers by Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) and the US President’s special climate envoy, John Kerry.
The joint declaration of both countries provides for the acceleration of climate protection measures to achieve a climate-neutral future. In addition, both countries want to cooperate in the development and application of technologies to accelerate the energy transition. A third point includes the promotion of ambitious climate policy and energy security in third countries.
The partnership relates “mainly” to offshore wind, Habeck said when the agreement was signed. Both countries want to have installed offshore wind turbines with a capacity of around 30 gigawatts by 2030. “It will probably be even more possible once the momentum kicks in. The coast of the USA is a lot longer than the coast of Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony,” says Habeck.
Kerry also emphasized that an agreement had been reached on reducing methane emissions by 30 percent by 2030. This will make an enormous contribution to climate protection.
Common standards needed for hydrogen
According to Habeck, when it comes to cooperation in the hydrogen sector, it is “extremely important” that the markets are coordinated. “This is an energy source of the future. If we can ever produce steel, cars, cement with hydrogen, then we need joint standardization so that the products are comparable,” said Habeck. You have to organize this ramp-up.
In addition, both countries want to work together to expand zero-emission transport. According to the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, the USA is behind Germany with a share of 2 percent of purely electric vehicles in new registrations. However, the American President is very interested in a ramp-up.
Four working groups for the areas of offshore wind, hydrogen, zero-emission transport and cooperation with third countries are to meet continuously at expert level and deepen and promote German-American cooperation.
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 27, 2022 04:47 ET (08:47 GMT)