Dear Reader,

What has Robert Habeck, Germany’s Federal Minister for the Economy, been doing since the Russian invasion of Ukraine started three weeks ago?

Well, a look at the press releases on his ministry’s website leads one to a curious conclusion. In the midst of one of the worst crises in Europe in 70 years, he has been busy trying to get the nebulous hydrogen economy off the ground.

In the past fortnight he has been to the US and Norway. Tomorrow he is flying to Qatar, and the UAE - all in an effort to convince these countries of the importance of hydrogen and other “green” energy sources.

A read out from his ministry about the imminent trip to the Middle East stated that “the centre point of the trip was a discussion of energy, specifically hydrogen and LNG (liquified natural gas).”

“We need to speed up the transition from conventional natural gas to green hydrogen. The best way to do this is via a European and international network,” Habeck said before his departure.

In Norway he was able to claim a precious victory in his battle to replace Russian gas with hydrogen. He came back clasping what he called a “joint statement on hydrogen co-operation” signed with his Norwegian colleague Jonas Gahr Støre, which committed the Scandinavian country to selling “large volumes” of hydrogen to Germany “as quickly as possible.”

Meanwhile, on the eve of his trip to the Washington Habeck made clear that a key point of discussion would be the establishment of energy security by increasing investment in renewable energy.

“The most important plank of energy sovereignty is the global transformation toward more renewable energies and greater energy efficiency,” Habeck said.

If it strikes you as strange that Habeck would be investing so much effort in energy sources of a sun-kissed future at a time when Germany has about ten months before its strategic fuel reserves run dry - don’t worry.

The blurb being pumped out by the Economic Ministry is essentially just snake oil.