Securing hydrogen imports for Germany: Import needs, risks and strategies on the way to climate neutrality

The objective of this analysis is to outline how Germany’s need for hydrogen imports will develop over time, to define various risks associated with the import of hydrogen, and to develop strategic approaches to manage these risks. 

Four simple scenarios are used to predict how Germany’s need for hydrogen imports will develop over time. It is shown that Germany’s overall need for energy imports will decline both proportionally and in absolute terms as the country progresses towards climate neutrality. The very large quantities of fossil fuels and uranium imported today will have to be replaced by significantly smaller quantities of climate-neutral energy, mostly consisting of hydrogen. How much energy countries such as Germany will have to import largely depends on their success in reducing energy demand, promoting direct electrification and deploying domestic renewables.