Helmut Schmidt University and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon have been awarded the German Renewables Award 2025 in the “Hydrogen Innovation of the Year” category. The prize was given for a mobile, sector-coupled hydrogen system designed for international use. The jury recognised the “Smart Energy Transform Box,” a compact, mobile hydrogen-based energy system.
The system enables the coupling of different energy sectors in a single unit, balancing energy supply and demand. It is designed specifically for use in developing and emerging countries. “Climate is not a national issue, but an international one,” said Julian Jepsen, Professor at Helmut Schmidt University and researcher at Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon. The box is “highly suitable” for deployment in these regions.
The award was presented as part of the annual German Renewables Awards organised by the Renewable Energy Hamburg Cluster (EEHH). The prize aims to highlight technological innovations that contribute to the transformation of the energy system.
Five projects competed in the “Hydrogen Innovation of the Year” category. In addition to the Smart Energy Transform Box, entries included a hydrogen project in Bremerhaven and a hydrogen-powered baggage tractor at Hamburg Airport (the latter project was covered in H2int. issue 5/2025).
