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.

The developments in the electrolyzer sector are continuing in great strides. Particularly in costs, where most manufacturers have been able to achieve substantial price reductions in the recent months, even if this has not been reflected in a reduction of the final price in all cases. In addition, both stacks and whole systems are becoming increasingly more compact and efficient.

Cummins has opened a location in Europe. On March 3rd, 2022, the US engine manufacturer put its new fuel cell factory in Herten into operation. Cummins had taken over the Hydrogenics Corp. and with it the German branch Hydrogenics GmbH in the summer of 2019, which had been located in Gladbeck and is now in the HTVG (Gesellschaft für Technologieentwicklung und Vermögensverwaltung der Stadt Herten mbH) technology development center H2Herten.

The push for more sustainable hydrogen generation has never been more critical, fueled by industries striving to decarbonize. And although green hydrogen production via water electrolysis holds immense promise for decarbonization, it grapples with a harsh reality: an almost complete dependence on an expensive and environmentally taxing resource. But what’s the deal with iridium? And can hydrogen live up to its reputation as a key tool for industrial decarbonization?

For hydrogen to be able to be used as an important part of the energy transition comprehensively in industry, mobility and energy supply in Germany, new lines must be built and existing natural gas pipelines must also be upgraded for hydrogen transport. This can be challenging, as hydrogen is explosive and attacks the materials of the pipes. Professional material testing creates the necessary security regarding this.

Nordrhein-Westfalen is further expanding its capacities in the H₂ research sector. In September 2024, the expanded HyTechLab4NRW in Duisburg went into operation. Since then, the site of the Center for Fuel Cell Technology has provided even better conditions for research into fuel cells and...

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.

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.

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.

In the year 1999, Christian Machens developed the world's first fuel cell boat, the Hydra, and thereby laid the foundation for innovations that will extend far into the future. Now, 25 years later, he is once again setting standards in the technology landscape – this time with a world first that has the potential to fundamentally change the safety analysis of systems.

Extremely high demands are placed on tools for punching, stamping and forming sheet metals. In some cases, accuracies of between 1 µm and 2 µm are required during manufacturing. The level of challenge increases drastically the larger the tool and the thinner the sheet. The stamping plates for the sheet-metal parts in fuel cell bipolar plates are a prime example. Bipolar plates are thin structures made from welded sheet-metal half shells that enclose the filigree flow fields. They are built up one after another in many layers, with the membrane electrode assemblies sandwiched in between, to produce the final stack.

The company HPS Home Power Solutions has unveiled a new generation of its seasonal energy storage system. The Picea 2 now uses lithium batteries, which makes installation in the home easier due to the lower weight. With twice the power, the appliance is also equipped for e-mobility and heat pumps.