European Centre for Renewable Energies

The Metropolitan Region of Hamburg consists of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, the second largest city in Germany, as well as surrounding areas of the three German federal states of Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Being home to more than 5 million inhabitants as well as multinational companies, global brands, a major port, industrial production and international trade, the Metropolitan Region of Hamburg is an economic powerhouse.

During the last two decades, the Metropolitan Region of Hamburg has established itself as European centre for renewable energies. With manufacturers, project developers, utility companies and grid operators as well as specialised lawyers, financial service providers, research institutions, universities and a supportive administration, Hamburg offers a wide-spanning portfolio in the field of renewable energies. Besides Hamburg being the hotspot of the European wind energy industry, the Metropolitan Region is well-known for pioneering in the field of photovoltaics, renewable heat, sector coupling, energy storage and hydrogen.

The wind energy industry developed rapidly alongside the German Energy Transition. Today, some of the world’s leading producers of wind turbines are headquartered in Hamburg, including Nordex Acciona and Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy. Business units such as product and project development, sales, research and management are concentrated in the city of Hamburg. Manufacturing sites are located in the Metropolitan Region. Leading players in the project development of offshore wind farms and German utilities also settled in Hamburg, including EnBW, Orsted, RWE Renewables and Vattenfall Europe Wind Power. With services in the fields of technical certification, financing, insurance, engineering services, logistics, and sales the Metropolitan Region of Hamburg is encompassing the wind energy industry’s entire value chain.

Sector coupling is a key success factor to decarbonizing our energy demand. As a technology centre, the Metropolitan Region of Hamburg has managed to push the transition of the power sector towards renewable sources. Beyond this, the region accelerated the decarbonization of other energy-consuming sectors such as heating and cooling, transportation or industry. Exemplary projects in the Metropolitan Region of Hamburg that utilize industrial waste heat to supply residential areas or develop smart solutions to increase demand-side flexibility are showcasing a clear path towards a more sustainable and carbon-neutral future.

Most recently, the Metropolitan Region of Hamburg has put strong emphasis on the production of green hydrogen by using power from renewable energy sources. With the help of green hydrogen, industries and sectors such as heavy transportation, steel and chemistry could become climate-friendly. The publication of a joint Hydrogen Strategy for the Federal Coastal States of Germany (Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Schleswig) underlines the great ambitions towards a sustainable and carbon-neutral energy future.