The prize was awarded for the second time at Hannover Messe 2023. The prize, awarded by Deutsche Messe and the German Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association (DWV), recognizes innovative projects that are considered pioneers and illustrate the great future potential of the green hydrogen market economy. The independent jury is made up of hydrogen experts from business, research, society and politics.

The prize was presented at a ceremony on Tuesday afternoon by the Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy and patron Robert Habeck. Green Wind Innovation GmbH was awarded the prize for its TH2Eco project. This is a hydrogen ecosystem that is currently being developed by Green Wind Innovation in collaboration with regional experts. The aim of the project is to establish a regional hydrogen market and to integrate local value creation into a supra-regional market in the long term.

In his laudatory speech, Habeck said that Germany had some catching up to do in terms of the energy transition, but not when it came to hydrogen. "We are at the forefront in certain sectors. German mechanical engineering can do electrolysis. The research and development landscape is differentiated and well-developed. The willingness to invest is high," said the Minister, emphasizing its relevance at the same time: "As a systemic part of sector coupling, hydrogen is indispensable." He also appealed to companies: "Take advantage of the momentum that is currently present in the political and economic landscape. Talk to each other."

Traditional tour of the trade fair

Before the award ceremony, Habeck took part in the traditional tour of the trade fair. Here, too, the focus was on companies whose technologies support the transition to climate-friendly production.

At the beginning of the trade fair tour, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Habeck and Lower Saxony's Minister President Stephan Weil handed over a considerable funding check to Gunnar Groebler, CEO of Salzgitter AG. The federal and state governments are providing 999,782,173.87 euros to support the steel producer's switch to energy-saving production methods. "SALCOS - Salzgitter Low CO2 Steelmaking" is the name of the funded transformation program. Funding certificates were no longer presented at the following stops, but the companies visited - Hawe Hydraulik, Flender, ebm-papst, Phoenix Contact, Beckhoff and Siemens Energy - all have one thing in common: their innovative technologies make the ambitious energy transition projects possible in the first place. Accordingly, the Federal Minister also informed himself intensively about the performance data of generators, the flexibility of system controls and the benefits of innovative hydraulics. He repeatedly emphasized his willingness to politically support companies in the development of energy-efficient technologies to market maturity.

In the run-up to the visit, Habeck had already made it clear: "For me, there are three main areas of action: decarbonization, digitalization and diversification. The developments in these areas are as central as they are promising. The technologies for reducing CO2 emissions in industry are gaining in depth and breadth, particularly through the transition to a hydrogen economy and advancing digital and data-based solutions."