With the official notice of funding in the amount of €84.4 million from the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport and a clear goal in sight, the HIC – Hydrogen Innovation Center will launch in Chemnitz in the summer of 2025. The organizational structures and project team are in place, and initial support is already being offered to companies and research institutions.
As the name suggests, the Innovation and Technology Centers are intended to bridge the gap between scientific research and industrial application. The HIC was developed jointly with SMEs, supplier companies, mechanical and plant engineering firms, and experts in hydrogen research. Start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises, suppliers, and large companies from across Germany can test and certify their components and systems here – thereby setting international standards that may later become official industry standards.
Pooling experience
The HIC already offers a range of support services for companies, research institutions, and start-ups. The current focus is on the development of requirement specifications and digital twins of individual components, stacks, systems, and BoP components, as well as the simulation of components according to specific requirements. These services are complemented by a knowledge platform and publicly accessible formats for technology and knowledge transfer: hands-on workshops and networking activities enable direct exchange between research and industry. They also promote cooperation along the entire value chain.
In the HIC Lab, companies can access testing and inspection services for components, stacks, and complete systems, and develop their own functional prototypes on site. In addition, modern hydrogen laboratories, workshops, and office spaces will be available for rent in the future.
“Companies will receive significant support here in the development of components and systems for the core technologies of the hydrogen economy. The hydrogen market is beginning to grow worldwide. Our goal is to ensure that companies from Germany in particular gain early access to the right technologies and partnerships, thereby securing their long-term competitiveness,” says Karl Lötsch, Managing Director of HZwo e.V. and HIC gGmbH.
High-tech infrastructure for rent
A test and development environment is planned on the 80,000 m² Hydrogen Campus Chemnitz, including component and system test benches, hydrogen laboratories, workshops, and office spaces. The centerpiece will be a test bench infrastructure with specialized facilities for stack components, complete systems, and balance-of-plant components. This will be supplemented by a test bench for aggregates with outputs of up to 400 kW and a media-supplied proving ground. Starting in 2027, customers will be able to test container-based systems and equipment there, either for short periods or in long-term operation. Several test bays will be equipped with the necessary media connections and hydrogen supply. In addition, an H2 Academy, rentable hydrogen laboratories, workshops, and office spaces will be created, particularly for start-ups and SMEs.
The immediate proximity to the Technology Campus of Chemnitz University of Technology also offers numerous points of contact for research and teaching. In October, Chemnitz University of Technology will launch a new master’s degree program in “Hydrogen Technologies” to meet the growing demand for skilled professionals. This will lay important foundations for the future of the hydrogen economy in the region. “With the Hydrogen Innovation Center, a place is being created here in Chemnitz where research and industrial practice come together – and from which our students can also benefit through state-of-the-art infrastructure and a strong network,” says Prof. Dr. Thomas von Unwerth of Chemnitz University of Technology and Chairman of the Board of HZwo.
Construction scheduled to begin in 2026
The HIC was developed by the association HZwo, which brings together hydrogen expertise from around 150 companies and research institutions from Germany and Europe along the entire hydrogen value chain. The association was founded in 2018 from a research consortium of Saxon companies, Chemnitz University of Technology, and the Fraunhofer IWU. In the years prior, the partners had jointly built up expertise in hydrogen research and development.
Based on this experience, HZwo applied for the Innovation Centers call for proposals issued by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport. In March, the funding decision for the HIC at the Chemnitz site was issued. The establishment and operation of the HIC will be carried out by the subsidiary HIC gGmbH – Hydrogen Innovation Center, founded in 2024.
The current focus is on completing the construction planning in order to initiate the necessary approval procedures as soon as possible. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2026, with commissioning of the first construction phase planned for 2027. The center is expected to be fully developed and operational by 2029.
