Could Europe also get solar energy from North Africa and the Middle East in the future? Climate Protection Minister Habeck is promoting closer cooperation with the federal states.
Federal Economics and Climate Protection Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) has campaigned for the expansion of energy cooperation with the countries of North Africa and the Middle East.
Germany and Europe are switching and have a “great hunger for energy,” said Habeck on Wednesday at an energy conference in Swaimah, Jordan, with a view to switching to renewable energies.
Of course, Jordan and the region as a whole would first have to serve their own markets. “But if it is possible to produce electricity here in this sunny region and bring it to Europe via a cable connection across the Mediterranean” or if hydrogen produced with the help of solar energy can be brought to Europe, “then I’m very happy about it”, said Habeck. “There is a huge demand in Germany, in Europe for green hydrogen or for cheap solar power.”
Joint declaration signed
Representatives of Germany, Jordan and other countries in the region signed a joint declaration at the Jordanian-German conference. Among other things, they agree to explore possibilities for strengthening the energy lines between the EU on the one hand and the Middle East and North Africa on the other. This should help with the expansion of renewable energies in both regions.
They also want to promote the conditions for the production of green, CO2-free hydrogen. Great hopes rest on hydrogen as a climate-friendly energy source. The United Arab Emirates, Libya, Egypt, Austria and the Czech Republic, which will soon take over the EU Council Presidency, were among the first to sign. Jordan has a lot of sun and wants to export more energy in the future, said Jordanian Energy Minister Salih al-Kharabshah.
Until this Thursday, Habeck is on a four-day trip in the Middle East, which first took him to Israel, the Palestinian territories and finally to Jordan.
