DLR-PT supporting international future laboratory
1st February 2022 — Green hydrogen is regarded as the energy carrier of the future. For this reason, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has been funding an International Future Laboratory at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) since 1 December 2021. It is to develop novel CO2-free technologies for the clean production of green hydrogen.
Since the start of the funding measure, DLR Projektträger (DLR-PT) has been supporting the "REDEFINE Hydrogen Economy (H2E)" project, which relies on novel technologies such as high-temperature electrolysis and the innovative gasification of biomass for the climate-neutral production of green hydrogen. DLR-PT's tasks to date have included advising the BMBF on the concept, processing funding applications and supporting applicants from all over the world. It has also supported the Ministry in planning and conducting the review process.
Funding management and science communication
Alongside personal support in all funding matters, science communication is a priority. On behalf of the BMBF, DLR-PT advises the Future Laboratory on all PR matters, including press relations, digital communication and event formats. In addition, DLR-PT produces content for the website and the BMBF's social media channels, which draw the attention of journalists, bloggers and the interested public to the research of the International Future Laboratory H2E and the people behind it.
"REDEFINE Hydrogen Economy (H2E)" consists of a team of renowned scientists from 13 countries in Europe, North and South America and Australia. It is coordinated by Professor Hartmut Spliethoff, Head of the Chair of Energy Systems at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at TUM and an expert in efficient and renewable energy systems. "The special feature of this future lab lies in the combination of innovative technologies such as high-temperature electrolysis and gasification processes as well as the synthesis of basic chemicals and energy carriers. With this approach, we want to make a contribution to avoiding CO2 emissions on a large scale in the future," emphasises Spliethoff. The team will conduct research together at TUM for a period of up to three years. The BMBF is providing up to five million euros for this purpose.
Further hydrogen research projects
As an alternative fuel, green hydrogen produced with renewable energies can help industry in particular to reduce CO2 emissions. In order to achieve a climate-neutral economic system, politicians are pushing for the development of an efficient, sustainable green hydrogen economy in Germany and the European Union.
DLR-PT supports the BMBF in many ways, for example in the framework announcement "International Research Cooperation Green Hydrogen", in the conception of funding calls, in advising applicants from science, research and industry, and in public relations work.