hy-fcell – international Expo and Conference – took place on October 7 and 8, 2025 in Stuttgart. With over 120 exhibiting companies and around 2,000 trade visitors from industry, research and politics, the event provided a comprehensive overview of current developments in hydrogen and fuel cell technology. The focus was on applications in industry, energy supply and mobility.
The trade fair was supported by the state agency e-mobil BW with a joint stand, where 23 exhibitors from the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg presented their solutions. “The trade fair and the expert contributions highlight the importance of hydrogen, especially for climate-neutral production, energy supply and logistics,” said Isabell Knüttgen, Head of Hydrogen Technologies at e-mobil BW.
Technology tour and CEO dinner as prelude
On the day before the trade fair, participants had the opportunity to gain insights into regional companies and research institutions during a technology tour. Stops included the leak testing specialist Zeltwanger, the fuel cell developer Globe Fuel Cell Systems, and the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research (ZSW), which presented current developments in electrolysis research.
In the evening, representatives from business, politics and research met for a CEO dinner at the New Palace in Stuttgart. The aim was a confidential exchange on strategic perspectives for the hydrogen economy.
Conference included in trade fair ticket for the first time
For the first time, the conference was included in the trade fair ticket. According to the organizer, the new format was very well received. In 40 sessions on three stages, experts discussed electrolysis technologies, infrastructure development, decarbonization in the mobility sector, legal frameworks and international market strategies. Speakers included Jorgo Chatzimarkakis (Hydrogen Europe), Birgitte Johannessen (Avinor) and former EU Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger. According to a visitor survey, 96 percent of participants considered the integration of the conference important or very important.
Focus on industrial applications
Several companies used the trade fair to present new products and developments. Daimler Truck showcased the Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck, which is scheduled to go into series production in 2026. The joint venture Cellcentric presented a new fuel cell system for long-haul applications. Siemens participated as a hosting partner and emphasized the importance of the trade fair for market ramp-up. “We want to take a pioneering role in the introduction of hydrogen and fuel cell technology. hy-fcell is a key meeting point for this,” said Robert Atkinson, Lead Hydrogen at Siemens Factory Automation.
Other exhibitors included EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies, H2Fly, Neuman & Esser, Thyssenkrupp, ZSW, Mahle, Nissha and Venair.
hy-fcell Award for electrolysis and compression technologies
As part of the trade fair, the hy-fcell Award was presented in three categories. In the “Research & Development” category, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) won with a sulfur dioxide-depolarized electrolysis. In the “Products & Markets” category, EIFHYTEC was honored for a thermochemical hydrogen compression system. The start-up Electrogenos received the award for an alkaline electrolyzer that aims to reduce the production costs of green hydrogen by 30 percent.
Outlook: energy trio 2027
For 2027, Messe Stuttgart announced a new combination: from March 3 to 4, 2027, hy-fcell will be held together with eltefa and Volta-X. The goal is to leverage synergies between the fields of hydrogen, electrical engineering and energy systems.
