Hydrogen economy
The Berlin-Brandenburg region is driving technology development forward. Here you will find the right partners for your hydrogen project.
The energy transition is gaining momentum. By 2050, the State of Berlin has set itself the goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 95% compared to 1990 levels. With its wide range of possible uses, hydrogen closes the gap between fluctuating electricity generation from renewable energies and demand. Hydrogen technologies are of vital importance for the energy systems of the future.
Neighboring Brandenburg is in the top group nationwide when it comes to generating renewable energy. Those wanting to produce or use green hydrogen, have come to the right place. Based on the roadmap for the development of a hydrogen economy in Brandenburg and the capital region, the state has developed a specific hydrogen strategy.
The Berlin Brandenburg region has the potential to bring together all stakeholders along the green hydrogen value chain, from research to production to services and hydrogen use – from development to testing to implementation of the technology.
Broad research
The region is considered a research hotspot in Europe with the following institutes and facilities:
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie (HZB) in the field of solar fuels with the research platform CatLab for the development of novel catalyst materials in cooperation with the Fritz Haber Institute (FHI) and the MPI for Chemical Energy Conversion
- Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing) with the competence center H2Safety@BAM
- BTU Cottbus with the research profile energy transition and decarbonization
- Institute of Low-Carbon Industrial Processes
- Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP with a focus on new catalysts and membranes for fuel cells
- Fraunhofer Research Institution for Energy Infrastructures and Geothermal Systems IEG with the Competence Center for Natural Gas, Hydrogen & Material Infrastructures
- Helmholtz Centre Potsdam – German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) in the field of geothermal energy and underground storage of hydrogen (rather little hydrogen)
- Reiner Lemoine Institut (RLI)
- TU Berlin, Electrochemical Catalysis, Energy and Materials Sciences Group
Innovative companies and projects
Enapter, Enertrag, Graforce, HPS, HH2E, H2Mobility, MAN Energy Solutions and Siemens Energy are just some of the technology companies that are based and active in the Berlin Brandenburg region.
The company HH2E will invest 250 million euros in a production facility for green hydrogen in the Cleantech Business Park in Berlin-Marzahn. Siemens Energy is building a multi-gigawatt factory for electrolysis modules in Berlin together with Air Liquide and is further developing H2-ready gas turbines. The Lausitz reference power plant (RefLau) is being built in Brandenburg. It will make a contribution to the future energy supply at the Schwarze Pumpe industrial site – based on renewable energy sources and hydrogen, including the storage and reconversion of hydrogen.
Infrastructure companies, including Vattenfall, GASAG, Berliner Wasserbetriebe and BSR have joined forces to form the H2Berlin initiative with the aim of promoting the use of hydrogen as an energy source.
Selection of regional companies
- adKor | Production and use of fuel cell systems for critical infrastructures/healthcare/traffic control technology
- APUS | Development of hydrogen-powered aircraft engines
- BASF Schwarzheide | Generation and use of hydrogen in industrial processes
- BEHALA | Use of hydrogen in shipping
- DESAG | Use of hydrogen in rail transport
- Enapter | Production of AEM electrolyzers
- Energiequelle | Consulting and project development for P2G systems
- Enertrag | Production and distribution of hydrogen
- Gasag | Gas supplier
- Graforce | Production of hydrogen
- H2Mobility | Construction and planning of H2 filling stations
- HH2E | Production of green hydrogen
- HPS Home Power Solutions | Development of domestic energy systems
- inhouse engineering | Development of fuel cell and energy systems
- Localiser | Operator of the first hydrogen marketplace for infrastructure planning
- McPhy Deutschland | Production of electrolyzers
- Niederbarnimer Eisenbahn (NEB) | Use of hydrogen in rail transport
- Prignitz Mikrosystemtechnik | Pressure and temperature transmitters for hydrogen applications
- Reuther STC | Manufacturer of pressure vessels for storing hydrogen
- Shit2Power | Hydrogen generation from sewage sludge recycling
- Siemens Energy | Production of H2-ready electrolyzers and gas turbines
- STOFF2 I Development and production of electrolyzers for the generation of green hydrogen
- Vattenfall | Use of hydrogen in industrial processes and the transport sector
- Wankel SuperTec | Wankel SuperTec | Production of Wankel engines that can operate with hydrogen
Effective cooperation, networking and promotion
The excellent opportunities for R&D cooperation and the wide range of offers for supporting companies and R&D projects are one of the region’s strengths:
- Germany's first digital hydrogen marketplace connects suppliers and users in Berlin and Brandenburg with a georeferenced representation of hydrogen locations.
- The industry network H2Berlin aims to introduce a city-wide hydrogen infrastructure based on three hydrogen hubs.
- The Nationale Organisation Wasserstoff- und Brennstoffzellentechnologie (National Organization for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology) NOW, based in Berlin, is the point of contact for funding and the regulatory framework at federal level.
- The Berlin funding program BENE II (funding priority 3: intelligent energy systems, grids and storage systems) supports, among other things, innovative sector coupling projects and demonstration projects.
Other players with proven expertise in hydrogen in the region are the German Energy Agency dena, the German Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association DWV, the Institute for Climate Protection, Energy and Mobility IKEM, the joint project HyStarter Lausitz, the regional hydrogen network Prignitz-Ostprignitz-Ruppin-Oberhavel (PROOH2V) and the hydrogen network Lausitz DurcH2atmen.
