(Berlin) - The catalog of measures of the National Innovation Program for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NIP) has been updated. It describes the goals and priorities until 2026. It was developed by representatives from industry and science in the hydrogen and fuel cell sectors 
on the advisory board of the federally owned NOW GmbH.
Research and funding for 3,7 billion euros
Accordingly, German industry sees a need for funding of over 2 million euros for fuel cell and hydrogen technology for the period mentioned under “NIP 3.700”. This includes both research and
Development measures as well as support for product launches and the supply industry in building up manufacturing capacities.
Of this sum, a need of 1.600 million euros is considered necessary for research and development (R&D), while there is a funding requirement of around 2.100 million euros for market activation measures.
While R&D activities continue to aim at reducing costs and increasing efficiency, industry and science see a particular focus on market activation. This includes
- Development of a hydrogen refueling infrastructure and the associated sustainable hydrogen supply
- Fuel cell systems for use in sustainable and climate-friendly mobility in road and rail transport, shipping and aviation
- Hydrogen production from renewable energies and for the cross-system integration of the energy sectors
- Stationary fuel cells for powering digital and critical infrastructures and, in the future, for households and industry as combined heat and power
- Specific measures to strengthen the German supplier industry
The paper analyzes and evaluates the individual industry segments in detail.
Cars and buses: 800 million euros
According to the list, there is an R&D funding requirement of 150 million euros for the passenger car sector. A further 300 million euros are required for “market activation” measures, i.e. for the development of fleets. This is based on the forecast of a vehicle population of 10.000 fuel cell cars in 2026.
By 2030, 50 percent of city buses should be electric. With the current number of buses in local public transport (ÖPNV) in Germany, there is a need for electrification of 20.000 vehicles in the next ten years. The EU's “Clean Vehicles Directive” (CVD) to promote clean and energy-efficient road vehicles provides for fixed quotas for the procurement of clean vehicles by 2030. Accordingly, around 2025 percent of new purchases in public transport must be “low-emission” and “emission-free” buses by 45. By 2030 the quota will be 65 percent, of which at least half will be “emission-free”.
The funding requirement for R&D measures for hydrogen buses is estimated at 30 million euros. This includes, among other things, research into expanding the vehicle portfolio, especially with 18-meter articulated buses, development of a high-performance hydrogen fuel cell system for long-distance buses, optimization of vehicle air conditioning to increase energy efficiency, but also the further development of tank systems and drive trains. Market activation is estimated to require a further 300 million euros and demand for 450 vehicles.
Commercial vehicles and rail vehicles
The R&D requirement for light and heavy commercial vehicles is 250 million euros, and the funding for market activation in this segment is 300 million euros. The money will be used, among other things, for the development of drive components, for converting trucks for heavy-duty transport, but also for garbage trucks and sweepers to meet the needs of municipalities. There are also vehicles for airport logistics, for example for push-backs of aircraft.
R&D funds of 30 million are forecast for rail vehicles. In a market analysis by the German Aerospace Center on behalf of NOW GmbH, the potential for battery and fuel cell trains was determined to be 2.500 vehicles by 2038. It can be assumed that around half of them will be equipped with a hydrogen fuel cell drive. With currently around 1,5 million euros in additional costs per train, the additional costs for investments would be 1,3 billion to 2,0 billion euros.
As part of a market activation in 2017/2018, three projects for the procurement of fuel cell trains and the corresponding infrastructure have already been funded. Between 2022 and 2024, a total of 43 fuel cell local trains and three hydrogen filling stations would go into operation in Brandenburg, Hesse and Lower Saxony.
There is also strong demand for shunters, and there is increasing interest from cities and operating companies in trams. However, neither shunting locomotives nor trams powered by hydrogen are currently available on the market. There are currently around 120.000 diesel locomotives in use worldwide, 40 percent of which are used for shunting and 60 percent for mainline operations.
The catalog of measures lists the milestones to be achieved as the establishment of the first fleet of fuel cell multiple units in Germany (by 2022), the availability of a refueling infrastructure optimized for rail transport (by 2024), and the development of the first prototype of a hydrogen-powered fuel cell tram (by 2024/2025 ), the first use of a hydrogen shunting locomotive as a prototype (by 2025), the serial production of at least two approved multiple units from different manufacturers for local rail passenger transport by 2025 and the official approval of the first shunting locomotive with hydrogen drive in the following year.
Aviation is in its early stages
In aviation, the priority is to increase the performance class of fuel cell and supply systems for use in main engines. In addition, reliability, efficiency and service life should be improved and product and operating costs of fuel cell systems should be reduced.
The funding requirement for fuel cell and cooling systems, drive concepts and hydrogen management is estimated at a total of 200 million euros. In addition, accompanying research is required. “Due to the early market stage, no concrete measures and funding needs can currently be named for the aviation sector within the time horizon of NIP 2,” it says.
Shipping can make a valuable contribution
Fuel cell systems in ship applications could “make a valuable contribution to climate protection and the future viability of the shipping industry, both in supplying large ships with electricity, heat and, if necessary, cold, as well as in propelling ships.” Corresponding systems have been “intensely developed and tested in operation on board ships and on land” since 2009 in demonstration projects by shipyards, shipping companies, fuel cell manufacturers, suppliers and classification societies.
There is a funding requirement of 15 million euros for the development and further development of maritime propulsion systems. A further 7,5 million euros should be available for inland waterway vessels and 12,5 million euros for seagoing vessels. Another 30 million euros would be needed to continue ongoing tests in real operation.
Logistics and infrastructure
Further development areas in the NIP2 catalog of measures deal with logistics and fuel cell systems for the power supply of digital and essential infrastructure facilities (such as mobile phone masts without a network connection, construction sites, disaster control), but also for emergency power supply, for example for communication, energy and water supply systems as well as municipal facilities.
NIP 2 proposes detailed measures and sets goals for the development and expansion of a hydrogen infrastructure, for example for the development of standards for production, delivery and refueling across the entire transport sector. In addition to the application-specific topics, the development of a strong supply industry across the entire value chain is “an essential prerequisite for the successful development of a German fuel cell industry”. A significant need for financial resources is also forecast for this. The National Innovation Program is to be continued until at least 2026, “with individual measures having independent time horizons,” according to the compilation.
The updated catalog of measures of the National Innovation Program for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology is available to download free of charge as a PDF (64 pages)
https://www.now-gmbh.de/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/NOW_NIP2-Massnahmenkatalog_12-2021.pdf
Photos
The DLR is analyzing mobility with hydrogen in all sectors. © German Aerospace Center
