
Hydrogen is considered to be the energy carrier of the 21st century and offers high flexibility in many fields of application. Hydrogen has the highest theoretical energy density, can be generated from electricity, biomass or fossil resources, and can be converted into a wide range of products. As a result, this energy carrier has the potential to interconnect the various sectors of the economy. To use hydrogen sustainably, it must be generated from “green” electricity or sustainable biomass (e.g. residual and waste materials). This calls for electrolysers and bioenergy plants on a gigawatt scale. Accordingly, the fuel cell is a key technology for converting chemical energy back into electricity, e.g. for mobile applications. A sufficient number of low-cost systems can only be supplied in the future if the core components and all associated parts are manufactured automatically.
To transfer the latest research findings to industrial applications, the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA conducts wide-ranging research and provides a broad spectrum of services.