Our current SOFC pilot projects

At Erkelenz hospital, we use our Bosch SOFC system in the infrastructure of a hospital for the first time and will demonstrate the benefits of using the system in combination with an LOHC system in the further course of the project. With our SOFC system, we want to secure the supply for critical infrastructure such as hospitals while playing an important part in climate action.

Our largest SOFC pilot system to date, located at the Bosch Research and Development Center in Schwieberdingen, Germany, is testing the highly efficient supply of energy in partial-load operation. The pilot project also demonstrates how fuel cell systems can be integrated into a holistic energy system that combines electricity from various renewable sources.

Together with EnBW, we are testing our Bosch SOFC fuel cell system at the Stuttgart-Feuerbach heating plant. Over a period of three years, our SOFC system will cover the site's own electricity needs and preheat the required additional water in pilot operation. The knowledge gained about robustness, durability and efficiency will help prepare for the use of SOFCs in the hydrogen economy of the future.

The Bosch plant in Salzgitter has integrated ten SOFC fuel cell units into its energy supply system. They are part of the Hydrogen Campus project, which involves testing the integration of hydrogen technology into the existing supply infrastructure. Running on hydrogen, the SOFC fuel cells will make the location more climate-neutral and more self-sufficient in terms of energy.

At the Salzgitter Hydrogen Campus, a pilot project is running with our SOFC as a service. Three contractual partners are involved in this practical test of how SOFC fuel cells might be provided to users at lower cost in the future. The innovative model is based on the principle that users pay service charges rather than purchasing the system.

The SOFC container in Wernau started operations in November 2021. The pilot system is trying out a decentralized, turnkey solution for power generation. The ten SOFC units that have been installed cover 20 percent of the base load requirements for the Bosch plant in Wernau. The container integrates all the essential auxiliary installations and systems.

The Bosch Global Data Center is piloting our 100 kW SOFC system. The system is being tested under the demanding power supply requirements of a data center. The advantages of SOFC? Independence from grid operators and flexible system planning.