innovation Jan 31, 2020

H2.B: the new center for hydrogen technology in Bavaria

Climate change affects all sectors of the economy and society. To counter this together with new, environmentally friendly technologies, the Bavarian state government founded the Center Hydrogen.Bavaria (H2.B) in autumn 2019. Industry, science and politics are to come together there to promote the hydrogen economy in Bavaria. Particular attention will be paid to hydrogen-based mobility.

The Center Hydrogen.Bavaria (H2.B)


The main task of the Nuremberg-based centre is to consolidate and expand the Bavarian economy’s technology leadership in the hydrogen economy. To achieve this, the Center Hydrogen.Bavaria (H2.B) will develop a hydrogen strategy for Bavaria on the one hand and initiate and coordinate publicly effective demonstration projects on the other hand. The whole process is accompanied by extensive networking and public relations work in order to recruit more cooperation partners both internationally and nationally.

The founding event in September 2019 was accompanied by the Bavarian Hydrogen Alliance’s resolution, in which numerous players from industry and society commit themselves to supporting H2.B and declare their willingness to strengthen Bavaria's technology expertise.

The hydrogen strategy for Bavaria


The development of a strategy for Bavaria as a forward-looking hydrogen technology location is based on two pillars: on strategic dimensions in planning and on the identification of technology action areas in implementation. What sounds complicated at first is easy to understand. The strategic dimensions are:

•    To demonstrate technology in an understandable way
•    To record regulatory framework conditions
•    To identify critical infrastructure
•    To build strategic partnerships
•    To work on networking and public relations

The crucial technology action areas that affect implementation are, in turn, the following:

•    Hydrogen production
•    Hydrogen logistics
•    Hydrogen utilisation
•    Scaling the models

The first Bavarian Hydrogen Strategy will be produced at H2.B by April 2020 to include and promote these 9 aspects in total. As a result, Bavaria will play a decisive role in shaping the future as a driver of the hydrogen economy.

What are the goals of the Bavarian Hydrogen Alliance?


The Hydrogen Alliance Bavaria is a joint platform for networking, knowledge and interests of hydrogen stakeholders from industry, science and politics with a headquarter in Bavaria. The Alliance is coordinated by the Center Hydrogen.Bavaria (H2.B) and has set itself some ambitious goals. For example, Bavaria is not only to become the leading location for the industrial production of hydrogen and its key components. It also to be established as a technology leader in the field of hydrogen storage and logistics. The specific goals are:

•    To develop and demonstrate innovative PEM electrolysers
•    To develop and test fuel cell based electromobility by 2023
•    To research and test automated production methods and process steps for future upscaling
•    To construct the world’s first LOHC filling station by 2021
•    To further develop and establish storage and logistics technologies by 2025

At the same time, the practical suitability of hydrogen as an energy carrier is to be improved in the future by further expanding the filling station infrastructure. 100 new hydrogen filling stations are planned in Bavaria by 2025 and the expansion is to be supported EU-wide by 2030.

Who are the alliance’s signatories and supporters?


The Hydrogen Alliance has 18 founding members and 11 partners who joined later. It is also still open to additional support in the form of research institutions, associations and companies. The 18 founding members are:

•    AUDI AG
•    BAYERNOIL Raffineriegesellschaft mbH
•    Bayernwerk AG
•    BayWa AG
•    BayWa r.e. renewable energy GmbH
•    BMW AG
•    Erlanger Stadtwerke ESTW
•    FAU – Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
•    H2 Mobility
•    HI ERN – Helmholtz-Institut Erlangen-Nürnberg für Erneuerbare Energien
•    Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies GmbH
•    Linde plc
•    MAN Energy Solutions SE
•    MAN Truck & Bus SE
•    NürnbergMesse GmbH
•    Robert Bosch GmbH
•    Schaeffler AG
•    Siemens AG

The 11 members who joined shortly after are:

•    BAUER COMP Holding GmbH
•    bayme – Bayerischer Unternehmensverband Metall und Elektro e. V.
•    Bayerischer Industrie- und Handelskammertag BIHK
•    Fraunhofer Gesellschaft
•    H-TEC SYSTEMS GmbH
•    Kraftanlagen München GmbH / Diamond Lite S.A.
•    Proton Motor Fuel Cell GmbH
•    TenneT TSO GmbH
•    vbm – Verband der Bayerischen Metall- und Elektro-Industrie e. V.
•    vbw – Vereinigung der Bayerischen Wirtschaft e. V.
•    Vitesco Technologies

Bavaria is actively helping shape the future


Bavaria is consolidating its role as a shaper of a global future with H2.B and the Bavarian Hydrogen Alliance. Bavaria is playing an irreplaceable part in the energy revolution together with local industry drivers and global partners. This is also recognised by independent experts: for example, the Prognos Zukunftsatlas 2019 certified that Bavaria has excellent prospects for the coming years.