Dr. Timm Kehler’s Post

“What is the new German government planning?” That was by far the most frequently asked question I heard at Flame-conference in Amsterdam – Europe’s leading forum for the gas trading community. My answer, both in conversations and on the Germany Panel with Thomas Hüwener Cornelia Müller-Pagel and Marcel Steinbach (expertly moderated by Ulrike Hinz ): Climate protection remains fundamental – but we will see a stronger focus on energy security and industrial competitiveness. What does that mean in practice? We expect quick initiatives on hydrogen-ready gas power plants. A legal framework for CCS. A long-term energy security strategy. More biomethane and a green gas quota. And no slowdown in ramping up the hydrogen economy. What the new government wants to tackle: overregulation before markets even exist. Unfortunately, this is exactly what we’re seeing in Brussels – take the draft Delegated Act on low-carbon gases. Overly narrow, bureaucratic, and complex. Instead of enabling investment, it creates legal uncertainty. Instead of unlocking markets, it risks shutting them down. Grete Tveit from Equinor put it plainly on a panel on blue hydrogen: the technical thresholds for blue hydrogen can be met – but the current regulatory proposal introduces so much complexity and uncertainty that project development is already being delayed. The new German government can make a difference – by bringing a new approach to leadership in Brussels: pragmatic, market-oriented, and focused on enabling real progress. #FlameConf