BMV Promotes the Development of Infrastructure for Hydrogen Technologies

During a cabinet visit to the Bavarian State Government in Munich, Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder presented funding awards totaling €54 million to representatives of the Pfeffenhausen site. A hydrogen technology application center (WTAZ) is to be established there, designed to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups accelerate the development of technological innovations. The center will focus on establishing development, certification, and standardization structures for applications in heavy-duty transport and urban air mobility. Key areas of focus include liquid hydrogen, hydrogen combustion engines, tanks and refueling systems, and a complete vehicle test bench, all aimed at bringing technologies that are currently not economically viable in their early stages to market maturity.

The center is the third location within the Hydrogen Innovation and Technology Centers (ITZ-H2) network, joining facilities in Chemnitz and Stade in northern Germany. In Pfeffenhausen, specialized development and testing environments with hydrogen laboratories will be established, along with a hydrogen liquefier that utilizes regionally produced green hydrogen. The Federal Ministry is thus implementing a key measure of the National Hydrogen Strategy.

The funding comes from the German Recovery and Resilience Plan and is provided through the European Recovery and Resilience Facility within the NextGenerationEU program. From the Federal Ministry's perspective, the center, as an innovation platform, will contribute to accelerating the transfer of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies from research to application, support the transition to alternative drive systems in the transport sector, and secure additional value creation in Germany.