Targeted funding – highly efficient technologies for the energy system
The green transition of energy systems is an intrinsic part of both the European Green Deal and the Paris Agreement. In Germany, this transition is being actively implemented through the national and regional hydrogen strategies of the federal and state governments, for example. With our PEM electrolysis and high-temperature fuel cell technologies, we are playing a major role in driving the transformation forward and are therefore involved in publicly funded projects.
EU funding for PEM electrolysis technology
The EU’s Innovation Fund is providing financial support for the industrialization of the Bosch PEM electrolysis stack and the smart electrolysis module for hydrogen production. The Bosch ELYAS (Smart ELectrolYsis Module manufacturing — upscaling with Automotive production technology and a Sustainability focus) project is one of the projects that has been selected to receive a grant from the EU’s Innovation Fund.
SOFCs in the European Union’s IPCEI Hydrogen program
Under the European Union’s IPCEI Hydrogen program (IPCEIs = Important Projects of Common European Interest), Germany’s federal government and the state governments of Baden Württemberg, Bavaria, and Saarland are providing funding for the “Bosch power units – initial industrialization of stationary fuel cells based on SOFCs” project. This funded project safeguards the activities that are essential to launching series production of the decentralized fuel cell based on solid oxide technology.
Funding for the SOFC pilot project at a hospital in Erkelenz
The multi-SOFC demonstration project in a hospital in Erkelenz is being funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Ten Bosch SOFC units are supplying the hospital with electricity and heat around the clock. The goals of the project are to substantially reduce CO2 emissions and achieve a more efficient and, therefore, potentially a more affordable energy supply. The Helmholtz Hydrogen Cluster (HC-H2), which is based at Forschungszentrum Jülich, is coordinating the demonstration project.
Funding for the SOFC pilot project at the Wasserstoff Campus Salzgitter
At the Wasserstoff Campus (“hydrogen campus”), regional partners from the worlds of business, science, and politics are working together to trial the use of hydrogen as an energy source. The SOFC pilot project at the campus has been sponsored by the state of Lower Saxony. In the field trial, Bosch SOFC units are generating electricity and heat. The long-term goal is to run the SOFC units on hydrogen in the future to make the Bosch plant in Salzgitter climate-neutral and energy self-sufficient.
Funding for the SOFC pilot project in the Bosch Global Data Center
Under the 7th Energy Research Programme, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action has awarded funding to the SOFC pilot project at the Bosch Global Data Center. One aim of the project is to provide practical evidence that integrating SOFC systems into data centers can meet the stringent availability and safety requirements of independent testing organizations. In this pilot project, the fuel cell system with a power class of 100 kW is being used to power the data center servers. Potentially, SOFC systems could meet all the energy needs of a data center and even supply power in the event of an interruption to the grid supply.
Funding for the development of SOFC technology
The Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy has funded the development of the Bosch solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology as part of the Bavarian Energy Research Program. Bosch produces the most important part of its SOFC system – the fuel cells and stack – in the Bavarian town of Bamberg. The fuel cells are supported with metal and feature a ceramic coating. Funding was provided for the high-rate drilling of metal substrates and the production of paste for ceramic materials.
Bosch and its SOFC system – part of the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance
Working on behalf of the European Commission, the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance supports the development of hydrogen technologies and the production and use of hydrogen. In line with its climate protection targets, the European Union aims to use hydrogen technology to speed up the decarbonization of industry. With its SOFC system, Bosch is part of the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance and its project pipeline.
