Media Release

Green Hydrogen for Energy System Transformation: cruh21 Becomes Part of Drees & Sommer Group

The contract has been signed: cruh21, a strategic project consultancy with a particular focus on topics such as green hydrogen, sector coupling and offshore hydrogen production, is part of the Drees & Sommer Group now. On the picture: cruh21 Managing Director Jimmie Langham (center) and Drees & Sommer Partners Christoph Gawlik (left) and Björn Jesse (right).

Hamburg and Stuttgart, Germany, September 20 2023. It is the smallest element by atomic mass, but it plays such a big role in the energy transition: all hopes are pinned on sustainably produced hydrogen as the key to a climate-neutral future. To support the public sector and private enterprises with the energy system transformation, Drees & Sommer SE, a company that specializes in construction and real estate consulting, and cruh21 GmbH, a strategic project consulting firm specializing in the renewable energy sector, are pooling their expertise. Since July 7, 2023, cruh21 has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Drees & Sommer Group.

The 20 employees at cruh21 specialize in providing consulting and conceptual design services for green hydrogen, offshore hydrogen and sector coupling projects. Since its foundation in 2019, the company has been one of Germany’s leading consulting firms in this segment. “We focus primarily on the early phases of project development. Our experts provide consulting in relation to regulatory requirements, building permit eligibility, strategy, designs, feasibility and communications to a diverse range of clients. We develop sustainable solutions for the energy and hydrogen economy, the industrial sector, inland ports and seaports, and cities and local authorities,” explains Managing Director Jimmie Langham. cruh21 has successfully completed several projects with Drees & Sommer.

For Drees & Sommer Partner Björn Jesse, the merger with cruh21 is a logical consequence of the existing collaboration: “Without green hydrogen, it will not be possible to move away from fossil-fuel energies. Whether for industry, the transport sector, or the long-term storage of renewable electricity, the transformation to a more climate-friendly economy requires interdisciplinary knowledge and implementation expertise. With cruh21, we will now be even better positioned in the rapidly changing market. Our combined strengths in the areas of consulting, design and implementation will enable us to give our clients even more extensive support,” comments Björn Jesse.

Jimmie Langham, Dr. Ursula Prall and Meiko Neumann will continue to head cruh21 and further develop the corporate portfolio under the name ‘cruh21 – Part of Drees & Sommer’. In the early phases of a project, cruh21 shows its key strengths in consulting and conceptual development, while Drees & Sommer’s experience and expertise in the different areas of the energy economy come into play in the planning and implementation phases.