North Rhine-Westphalia News

The Canadian company Ballard Power Systems Inc. has now established a branch in Hürth – North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. the aim is to establish projects throughout Germany and Europe.  Ballard is looking at Germany as a key growth market for fuel cell buses, uninterrupted power supplies and systems for combined heat and power (CHP). Europe’s ambitious climate goals can be achieved by implementing Fuel Cell technologies, thus the office in Hürth is a key position for building, distribution, and service for the Fuel Cell Systems.  Two fuel cell hybrid buses PHILEAS of APTS, in the region are used in Cologne and are already in regular service. Ballard is involved in the areas of buses, materials handling vehicles, and small power stations and power backup. For more information see: NRW PR

The 11th Annual meeting of the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Network Energy Agency – NRW presented that the region is well on its way to leading research and business area of ​​Energy and Climate Change.

On September 8th 2011 two hydrogen-driven fuel cell hybrid buses successfully finished a four-month test period. The 18 meter articulated buses named “Phileas” will now take up regular public transport service on inner-city and regional lines in the Rhein-Erft county for the first time.

Christa Thoben, Minister for Economy of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the Canadian Vice consul Henri Proulx signed an agreement of collaboration between the Zentrum für Brennstoffzellentechnik (ZBT), of  the University of Duisburg-Essen, and the Canadian research institute NRC-IFCI (National Research Council Canada – Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation) on joint technology development for system components and operation in the 5 – 10 kWel class for mobile applications with battery hybrid technologies. This collaboration, HiPerLoCo is in line with the electro mobility strategy of the energy region North Rhine-Westphalia in which battery and fuel cell are playing a complementary role. Other joint activites will cover optimisation of high quality power supply.

In the he German cities Bottrop and Gladbeck two low-floor fuel cell midibuses will be apart of regular public transport service by Vestische Strassenbahnen GmbH, a regional transit authority.  The midibus was developed by the German company Hydrogenics GmbH (a subsidiary of Canadian Hydrogenics Corporation), with financial support of the North Rhine-Westphalian government and the European Commission trought the HYCHAIN project.  According to Hydrogenics, there are now ten of such buses in operation throughout Europe. Coming up to the 2010 Essen World Hydrogen Conference, the rather modest fleet should grow substantially. Deployment of the Midibuses is part of European project HYCHAIN MINI-TRANS. Within the project, four EU regions in France, Spain, Germany and Italy are developing a technical platform for a range of fuel cell-powered vehicles. The project’s aim is to demonstrate viability (technical, economic, and of public acceptance) of real-life deployment of fuel cell technologies and to establish the critical volume to trigger a steady reduction of production and operational costs. An Air Liquide hydrogen station is refulling the buses at the Gladbeck headquarters of Hydrogenics. Between refills, a midibus can keep going for around two hundred kilometres or nine hours of typical operation, carrying a maximum of 22 [...]

The „NRW Hydrogen HyWay” was inaugurated by Dr. Jens Baganz, secretary of State for the economy of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, last November during the 8th annual meeting of the competence network Fuel Cell and Hydrogen NRW of the state agency EnergieAgentur.NRW. This new lead project in the framework of the climate protection strategy of the state government comprises numerous individual projects for development and demonstration of the fuel cell and hydrogen technology. More than 50 M€ will be provided during the years to come from state funds and the European fund for regional development. One of the projects includes partners from North Rhine-Westphalia and The Netherlands to develop of a city bus with fuel cell propulsion. The 18 m long  buses will operate in Amsterdam and the Cologne region after a development time of about one year. Two vehicles each will be provided for both sites. Partners from North Rhine-Westphalia are Vossloh Kiepe GmbH from Duesseldorf and Hoppecke Batterien GmbH & Co. KG from Brilon. They are supported scientifically by FH Cologne and RWTH Aachen. The North Rhine Westphalia region is part of HyER, Hydrogen Fuel Cells and Electromobility in European Regions.