Hydrogen Innovation and Technology Centre (ITZ) is feasible

How feasible is it to set up a technology and innovation centre for hydrogen technologies at the four selected German sites?

The Hydrogen Innovation and Technology Centre (ITZ) is intended to support companies from the transport sector in their development activities. In a previous selection process, the North (Hamburg, Bremen/Bremerhaven, Stade), Chemnitz, Pfeffenhausen, and Duisburg locations were selected as hydrogen sites. The four sites have now worked together under the leadership of Prognos AG and EY to develop the basis for the implementation of the ITZ.

ITZ – a network and umbrella brand operating across Germany

Using an interactive dialogue process, the four sites have agreed on the following division of tasks. All agreements are subject to federal and state funding:

• The North location (Hamburg, Bremen/Bremerhaven, Stade) offers services for hydrogen and fuel cell applications in aviation and maritime shipping. In aviation, the focus is on liquid hydrogen, and in shipping, derivatives are also implicated. The range of services covers research, testing, regulation, codes & standards as well as training and further education.
• The Chemnitz site focuses on the vehicle drivetrain, the fuel cell system, the fuel cell stack, and its individual components for passenger cars, light commercial vehicles, and rail vehicles. The services range from research, testing, assessment, certification, training and further education, to rentable H₂ laboratories and workshops for start-ups, SMEs, developers, suppliers, and manufacturers.
• The Pfeffenhausen site focuses on the topic of tanks, tank drive integration and the refuelling of heavy commercial vehicles, passenger cars, and small aircraft or urban air aviation. It provides, among other things, a cryogenic hydrogen infrastructure and supports suppliers, start-ups, and vehicle developers with testing, verification, approval, regulation, codes & standards, as well as training and education.
• The Duisburg location primarily investigates the applications of hydrogen compressed gas for land-bound modes of transport and inland vessels. It focuses on the areas of innovation support, regulation, codes & standards, training and further education concepts as well as examination and certification, especially for SMEs and start-ups. Research and testing takes place at satellite sites.

In order to meet the demand for a unified network across Germany, a location-independent and comprehensive structure is required. To this end, the experts recommend an overarching cooperation council. This should be supplemented by a branch office.

With the ITZ, the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) is implementing another measure of the National Hydrogen Strategy. The ITZ sites are to create a development, research, and testing environment, especially for start-ups, founders, and small and medium-sized enterprises.

The project was completed on 07/31/2022 with the finalization of the feasibility study.

Links and Downloads

BMDV press release (BMDV website, in German)

Feasibility study (BMDV website, in German)

Our work in the project (in German)

Project team

Jens Hobohm, Michael Schaaf, Jutta Struwe, Maike Fließbach-Schendzielorz