"Our aim is to establish the Chemnitz region as a leading location for research and development of innovative hydrogen technologies in the long term, with a focus on the production, storage and application of hydrogen," says Marcus Lassowski, Senior Consultant in the Technology Strategy division at IAV subsidiary consulting4drive (C4D).

The first fields of action of the strategic plan for establishing a hydrogen economy in the "HyExperts Region" in southwestern Saxony were presented by the city of Chemnitz on Wednesday – at the conclusion of the one-year development project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (FMDT).

Numerous location advantages

In pursuing the goal of intelligently using hydrogen in the mobility, energy and heating sectors while supporting the transformation of the automotive industry, the Chemnitz region benefits from numerous small and medium-sized enterprises that actively support the transformation to a sustainable hydrogen economy, according to the concept of IAV, C4D, DBI Group and Localiser RLI GmbH.

"The next step will be to implement the short-, medium- and long-term goals and projects," says the mayor of Chemnitz, Sven Schulze. "Important for this are: Commitment, inventiveness, a functioning network and also investments in the public and private sector."

With an expected investment of €72.5 million from the federal government alone, the new Hydrogen Technology Center (HIC) will offer suppliers and especially the many smaller companies in the region a powerful development environment for H₂ technologies and will attract more companies and skilled workers to the region, the four partners said. Construction and commissioning of the HIC are scheduled for no later than 2028.

High importance for the region

The importance of H₂ technology for the Chemnitz region is enormous. For example, the Free State of Saxony and Vitesco Technologies are investing around €11 million in H₂ test infrastructures, and the HIC is also supported by pioneering alliances from science and industry.

As part of the new hydrogen strategy, IAV is making recommendations on where and in what quantities hydrogen should be produced or sourced, how it should be transported and for what purposes. The details will be published by the National Organization Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology NOW GmbH in a final report, probably in October.