Technology

Anyone who wants to develop fuel cells needs more than just product knowledge – in-depth expertise in manufacturing technology is also crucial. Robert Atkinson, head of the hydrogen unit in Factory Automation, explains how Siemens supports customers with its extensive experience in production technology.

Green hydrogen is considered one of the key ingredients for meeting global climate targets. And it is also a possible alternative to gas, which makes the need to accelerate the hydrogen economy in Germany and Europe all the more urgent. However, establishing a hydrogen economy requires more than just innovative technologies for its production, transmission and utilization. It demands digital solutions to raise efficiency, forecast hydrogen demand and supply, monitor transmission and storage and ensure the safe use of hydrogen in a variety of applications. Yet there has so far been little or insufficient sharing of the data needed to perform these tasks among potential market participants. The primary reasons for this are a lack of trust and a fear of competitive disadvantage. The HyTrust project, funded by the German education and research ministry, now intends to tackle these challenges by creating a data trustee model in the hydrogen economy.

Plans to expand Germany’s hydrogen landscape are well underway. A large number of electrolyzers for green hydrogen production and thousands of kilometers of new or converted pipelines for hydrogen transmission will be built in the coming years. This offers us the opportunity to think holistically from the outset about the advancing trends of hydrogen and digitalization and to digitalize the hydrogen sector. This article intends to demonstrate the potential that can be leveraged through the digitalization of the entire green hydrogen value chain.

At the Hydrogen Technology Expo, AvCarb is presenting its new gas diffusion layer Flex-GDL. The material is flexible, thin, and suitable for both fuel cells and electrolysers. It is designed to improve system efficiency and durability.

The new PdCu39 membrane enables the production of high-purity hydrogen via steam reforming without additional heating systems.

Laufenberg and Wevo-Chemie are presenting a new process for the continuous production of flat gaskets for fuel cells and electrolysers at the Hydrogen Technology Expo in Hamburg. The technology is intended to make production more efficient and cost-effective.

For the Sulphur Dioxide Depolarised Electrolysis (SDE), the institute received the hy-fcell Award in the Research & Development category. Dr. Dimitrios Dimitrakis explains in the interview with H2international what makes the process so special.

With support from the German federal government and the Federal State of Lower Saxony, the Technical University (TU) of Braunschweig is establishing a new research center for circular production and recycling processes of batteries and fuel cells. Starting in 2027, around 150 researchers will work there on closed material cycles.

From August 21 to 27, 2025, the city of Chemnitz will become the center of an international hydrogen competition for young talents: At the world finals of the Hydrogen Grand Prix, more than 60 student teams from 23 countries will compete with self-developed H2 racing vehicles.

With the third auction of the European Hydrogen Bank and the Innovation Fund 2025, the EU is allocating up to six billion euros for hydrogen projects. Germany and Spain are contributing additional national funds.

Mauritania has signed a framework agreement with Möhring Energie for the development of a PtX large-scale project. Starting in 2029, the plant is expected to produce up to 140,000 tonnes of green hydrogen and 400,000 tonnes of green ammonia annually for export.

A new study by the TransHyDE project analyzes possible development paths for the European hydrogen system until 2050. It calls for swift political decisions to reduce costs, ensure supply security, and avoid misguided investments.

Sonplas has developed a test stand in container design for alternative fuels such as hydrogen, methanol, and ammonia. This test stand is intended to give customers the opportunity to test their components in a safe environment – for example, with hydrogen. In this way, function and service life can...

Laufenberg and Wevo-Chemie promise to make flat gaskets for fuel cells and electrolysers more cost-effective with a new manufacturing process.

In the new process, specially developed two-component elastomers from Wevo-Chemie are applied in liquid form onto a carrier film. The coating is performed...

Plating Electronic has developed “turnkey” direct current supply systems in skid or container design for electrolyzers. The models of the Power Station series are intended to be suitable for direct current outputs from 100 kW up to 5 MW. In addition to the rectifier itself, control cabinets...