A joint application for EU funding shall help more than 50 partners to develop the Rhein-Ruhr region into Europe’s leading hydrogen region. The consortium plans, among other things, 77 MW of electrolysis capacity and the expansion of hydrogen infrastructure for commercial vehicles.

Asahi Kasei, Nobian, Furuya Metal, and Mastermelt have launched a joint project to recycle metals from electrolyzer components. The initiative aims to establish a closed-loop system for critical raw materials such as iridium and ruthenium.

At The smarter E Europe trade fair in Munich this June, the full spectrum of the energy transition will be on display—including many hydrogen industry exhibitors. HZwei will be present at the Gentner Energy Media booth, featuring two live expert interviews.

Following Abo Energy, Energiequelle has also announced a major project in Finland’s Oulu region. Electrolysis capacity of up to 500 MW could be installed there by 2033.

At Hannover Messe – more precisely at Hydrogen + Fuel Cells Europe – the newly launched HZwei and H2international made its first major appearance in the analog world. Now we are also digitally present – with our new website and our weekly newsletter.

The US is investing a lot of money in renewable energies and also in hydrogen. With the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the Biden administration has released large sums of money to promote sustainable technologies. Even if at least some of this is likely to be reversed under a new Trump administration, a number of states have embarked on this path and - like New Mexico - are focusing on hydrogen. HZwei spoke to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham about this in Rotterdam in the summer of 2024.

“Two years ago, we were still discussing an ‘All Electric World’ in Berlin. Now it's clear we need both – molecules and electrons.” With these words, the state of Niedersachen’s economy minister Olaf Lies summarized well at this year’s Hannover Messe where we stand today. At the political level, however, this seems to not have been reached by everyone. Otherwise, the quasi funding freeze for H₂ activities at present can hardly be explained. Reason enough for the Clean Energy Partnership (CEP) to send a pleading letter to Berlin (see p. 33) – and trigger for a palpable dispute among economic experts.

Lifte H2, a subsidiary of Px Group, has commissioned a hydrogen refueling station for Open Grid Europe (OGE) at the Krummhörn site near Emden. The facility is part of the KruH2 hydrogen pilot project and is used to refuel the company’s own fleet of hydrogen vehicles.

Offshore wind power stations generate significantly more electricity and more regularly than their onshore counterparts. In the lead project (Leitprojekt) H₂Mare, scientists are working to exploit this potential – and to produce green hydrogen and derivative products directly at sea in the future. Current progress is being made, among other things, in the coupling of wind turbines and electrolyzers.

The Swiss company Infener wants to promote hydrogen throughout Europe. Decentralized H₂ hubs will be used to generate green electricity as well as green heat. The Ecore One is a compact containerized solution that combines various energy technologies in one unit: electrolyzer, fuel cell and battery as well as compressor and a heat pump with its own energy management system or EMS. H₂ production is due to start 2027 at a site in the Black Forest, Germany. However, the needs of regional industry are already far greater today.

Green hydrogen is an important building block of the energy transition. With its help, regenerative energy can be stored and used as needed in a wide variety of sectors. But how will the generation, storage, distribution and use of hydrogen come together? An answer to this question is the goal of the project H₂VL of the regional district (Landkreis) Havelland: Various local players along the entire hydrogen value chain are being identified, networked and supported in the implementation of their projects – from production through distribution to use. For this, Havelland is being supported by the German transport ministry, through the hydrogen and fuel cell innovation support program NIP2, with nearly 400,000 euros as one of the 15 winners of the title HyExpert Region.

In the summer of 2025, the first hydrogen vehicles will compete against vehicles with conventional drive systems at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Styria, Austria. To ensure that both fuel cells and combustion engines can be used there, Formula Student Austria, in cooperation with other race organizers, has published corresponding H₂ regulations that will enable student teams to design, build and race hydrogen-powered racing cars in the future.

At a container terminal in Hamburg, a test field for heavy-duty vehicles with hydrogen drives is being built. The first tractor unit is now in use.

The transport transition is a central component of the German climate protection strategy. As part of this, hydrogen is seen as a key energy source, especially for heavy-duty goods vehicles. But how can hydrogen refueling stations (HRSs) be supplied with hydrogen efficiently, sustainably and economically? A joint study by the National Organisation Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NOW GmbH) and the German Energy Agency (dena) examines four supply options via a future H₂ pipeline network. In the study, H₂ hubs that act as connecting elements between the emerging H₂ network and the HRSs are of particular importance.

Transport iron to use hydrogen: The new H₂ storage technology of Ambartec AG conveys iron granulates and obtains the hydrogen on site through oxidation. In mid-February 2025, Ambartec, together with Purem by Eberspächer, signed a cooperation agreement (MOU) to prepare a serial production of this iron-nugget hydrogen storage and for its transport in standard 20-foot containers.