Sustainable mobility and energy through hydrogen technologies

Hydrogen is considered one of the most promising energy carriers for achieving a climate-friendly and competitive industry. It can play a particularly important role in areas where the storage of electrical energy in batteries is technically or economically limited, such as in heavy-duty transportation, aviation and shipping, and in energy-intensive industrial processes. However, for hydrogen technologies to be deployed reliably, the systems required to utilize hydrogen must be manufactured using efficient and, above all, cost-effective production processes. This is where the Brennstoffzelle.NRW (BZ.NRW for short) project comes in.

Production platform for the industrial manufacturing of fuel cells

In the BZ.NRW project, the consortium partners are establishing a modern production platform that enables the manufacturing of functional PEM fuel cell stacks under realistic conditions –comprising their two main components, the metallic bipolar plate and the membrane electrode assembly. The platform combines physical production machinery and processes with a comprehensive digitalization solution.

Scientists are developing new manufacturing processes for this purpose and implementing them in an automated production line. The production platform offers companies and research institutions the opportunity to develop, test, and validate new technologies, materials, and manufacturing processes—as well as their digitalization – under realistic conditions. At the same time, it helps companies bring new technologies to industrial application more quickly and manage the transition from development to large-scale series production efficiently and successfully.

Focus: Bipolar plate, membrane-electrode assembly, and stack assembly

Three manufacturing processes are at the heart of BZ.NRW’s work:

• The project partners are developing and optimizing the production of metallic bipolar plates, which, as one of the two main components, determine the performance and efficiency of the fuel cell stack.
• At the same time, they are improving the production of the membrane-electrode-assemblys (MEAs), where the conversion of hydrogen into electrical energy takes place.
• In addition, they are automating and improving the component stacking process, in which the individual components are assembled into a high-performance fuel cell stack.

By combining these three manufacturing processes, they map out an entire process chain – from the individual component to the functional stack.

Digitalization as the Key to Industrial Scaling

In the further development of manufacturing processes, BZ.NRW consistently relies on digital technologies:

Throughout the entire production chain, the project partners collect, link, and analyze real-world product and production data. This yields valuable insights into quality, efficiency, and potential for optimization in manufacturing. The manufacturing data helps companies further develop production processes, validate new technologies, and make informed decisions. At the same time, they are developing digital tools that support companies in making decisions based on a solid data foundation and in tapping into new business models along the value chain.

Our offer to Research and Industry

The industrialization of hydrogen technologies requires close collaboration between research institutions, plant engineers, materials manufacturers, and end users. Many companies already have promising technologies, but only limited opportunities to test and further develop them under real-world production conditions. To this end, the BZ.NRW project is creating an open and neutral development environment: Companies can test, evaluate, and optimize new products and production processes together with partners across the entire value chain.

BZ.NRW invites companies and research institutions to actively use the production platform, contribute their own questions, and work together to expand high-performance fuel cell manufacturing in Germany and Europe.

Project consortium

• Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT (Project coordination)
• Carl Krafft & Söhne GmbH & Co. KG
• JHT Jakobs-Houben Technology GmbH
• Jülich Research Centre
• KCS Europe GmbH
• Manufacturing Technology Institute (MTI) of RWTH Aachen University
• MT Analytics GmbH
• Werkzeugmaschinenlabor (WZL) of RWTH Aachen University

Funding

The “BZ.NRW” project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Transportation (BMV) as part of the “National Innovation Program for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NIP II)” funding program.

Funding reference: 13N17458

Project sponsor:

Projektträger Jülich (PTJ), Coordinated by NOW GmbH