National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Innovation Programme

National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Innovation Programme | © GTAI

Hydrogen as an energy and fuel cell source provides an excellent alternative to dwindling natural gas and petroleum resources. Not only are fossil energy sources becoming increasingly scarce and expensive, they also emit CO₂ emissions which are damaging to the climate.

Hydrogen can be stored in liquid and gas form for controlled energy release. And unlike fossil fuels, hydrogen is a "clean energy solution" that does not produce any environmentally harmful pollutants or climate change emissions. Ease of storage makes hydrogen of particular interest in the mobility sector. Hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles can make an important long-term contribution to environmentally friendly, sustainable mobility.

The National Innovation Programme provides a common framework for a number of hydrogen and fuel cell research projects conducted by academic institutions and industry. The public-private partnership (PPP) is scheduled to run for 10 years.

• National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Innovation Programme

The Clean Energy Partnership (CEP) is a lighthouse project within the National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Program. A joint political initiative instigated by the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development (BMVBS), the CEP was established in December 2002 as a result of the Transport Energy Strategy.

A result of the Transport Energy Strategy (VES), the CEP is the National Innovation Programme for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NIP) lighthouse project in the traffic and transport sector.

Consisting of a consortium of industry partners, the CEP is Europe's largest demonstration project for hydrogen mobility. The German Federal Government has made EUR 200 million R&D funding available, complemented by a further EUR 500 million for the demonstration of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in traffic and transport, stationary supply, and special market scenarios. Industry has made a commitment to match government funding, meaning that EUR 1.4 billion will have been invested in hydrogen and fuel cell technology by 2016.

Germany is Europe's leading nation in the field of hydrogen and fuel cell technology. In 2008 the National Organization for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NOW) was set up to promote the development and commercialization of internationally competitive hydrogen and fuel cell technology products.

The German Federal Government has set aside a total budget of EUR 1 billion for hydrogen and fuel cell technology research, development and demonstration projects over a ten-year period.

• National Organization for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NOW)

• German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy
• German Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs
• German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety
• German Federal Ministry of Education and Research
• National Electromobility Development Plan
• National Electric Mobility Platform (German only)
• Government Program Electromobility (German only)
• National Organization for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NOW)