The hy-fcell Technical Tour will be taking place on 6 October 2025, one day before the leading international trade fair and conference for hydrogen and fuel cell technology officially starts, and providing visitors with an early opportunity to explore the innovation that will be on display. Three companies from the hydrogen and fuel cell technology sector, namely ZELTWANGER, GLOBE Fuel Cell Systems and the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW), will be opening their doors and granting participants exclusive insights. The tour starts at 8.30 am at Messe Stuttgart and will finish with a fun networking evening in Stuttgart’s Markthalle.

Insights, exchanges and regional innovative power

“The region of Stuttgart is a hotspot for hydrogen and fuel cell technology. With the Technical Tour, we want to show just how strong a foothold research, development and industrial application have in this region,” explains Dr. Alexander Lahl, Regional Director at the Verband Region Stuttgart, an active supporter of the tour. During the tour, trade visitors from both Germany and abroad will have the chance to gain practical insights, while also exploring exciting new industry connections.

An exclusive glimpse behind the scenes of the hydrogen and fuel cell industry – the Technical Tour for hy-fcell 2025 brings you straight to the innovative forces behind its success.

Three stations – three perspectives on the future

At ZELTWANGER in Dußlingen, participants will see state-of-the-art leak testing for hydrogen and battery technology live in action. Patrick Reich, division manager at ZELTWANGER Leaktesting & Automation GmbH, explains: “Our testing systems ensure that components such as bipolar plates, stacks and battery cells work reliably – which is a key aspect for safety and efficiency in the application of hydrogen. We are looking forward to demonstrating our technology in practice.”

The second stop on the tour is GLOBE Fuel Cell Systems in Stuttgart, a fast-growing GreenTech company that develops modular fuel cell systems for industrial applications. Steffen Bäuerle – CEO and Co-Founder at GLOBE, explains: “Our systems are emission-free, digitally networked and ready for industrial use. Whether it’s intralogistics, shipbuilding, or emergency power – we want to show how flexible solutions from Stuttgart are contributing to decarbonisation.”

The final stop will be the Stuttgart location of the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW). Dr. Marc-Simon Löffler, Head of Renewable Fuels and Processes, explains: “As an industry-oriented research institute, we are paving the way for the roll-out of new technology that provides sustainable and climate-friendly electricity, heat and renewable fuels. The Technical Tour will focus on hydrogen generation/electrolysis and our contribution to technology development and transfer to industry, as well as our testing and consultancy services (ElyLab).”

Nice networking evening

The tour will come to an end at around 5.30 pm and participants will be brought by bus directly to the kick-off event in the gallery of Stuttgart’s Markthalle. From 6 pm onwards, guests will be treated to a stylish evening with drinks reception, Italian flying buffet and musical entertainment – a relaxing evening and the perfect opportunity for networking.

Tickets & Registration

Participation in the Technical Tour including bus transfer, catering and evening event costs €230. Individual tickets for the kick-off event can be purchased for €25. Accreditations for media representatives are available on request.

Further information and registration: https://www.messe-stuttgart.de/hy-fcell/programm/networking-tours/technical-tours/

Beyond generating a clean source of power, the project benefits local municipalities. RWE pays 0.2 euro cents per kilowatt hour of electricity generated. The Aldenhoven wind farm is expected to generate revenue of upto €150,000 annually. The company has confirmed an investment decision to add two further turbines, each with a capacity of 7 MW, near the Düren-Merken wind farm. Construction of these units is scheduled to begin at the start of next year.

Katja Wünschel, CEO RWE Renewables Europe & Australia, commented: “We consider the Rhenish lignite area to be an ideal location for wind power. We have already installed wind turbines with a combined output of 249 MW. We are currently constructing a further 77 MW, and more projects are ready and waiting. The Aldenhoven wind farm is a prime example of efficient electricity generation on recultivated land. It demonstrates successful collaboration with the relevant authorities and local communities, as well as structural change in action. Six wind turbines can now generate electricity for an estimated 24,000 households on the site of the former Inden opencast mine. Many thanks to the RWE team and our partners.”

Onshore wind remains a critical element in Germany’s transition to a low-carbon future. RWE continues to expand its domestic infrastructure, with 170 MW planned capacity and 676 MW already operational across the country. In the Rhenish lignite region alone, 77 MW with 249 MW operational. With headquarters in Essen and nine regional offices across the country, RWE is placing itself at the heart of Germany’s changing wind and solar future.

The team’s protonic ceramic electrochemical cell (PCEC) stores and generates electricity and produces hydrogen from water. 

Researchers say that in contrast to previous designs, the WVU fuel cell performs steadily at high heat and steam due to a new “conformally coated scaffold” structure.

Proven to work successfully exceeding 5,000 hours at 600°C, it significantly surpasses past models, providing a durable solution to blending renewable energy into the U.S. electrical grid.

Stable electrolysis tech

Integrating intermittent sources such as wind and solar into the electrical grid requires sophisticated energy storage and conversion solutions as the drive to decarbonize the energy industry gains pace.

Experts suggest that by switching between energy storage and power generation, PCECs offer a critical solution for the strained US electrical grid, which must manage unpredictable energy input from diverse sources, including traditional power plants, hydropower, rooftop solar, and ocean wave systems. 

Current PCECs fall short, though, with limited long-term stability under industrial high-temperature, high-steam conditions because of material degradation and poor electrode–electrolyte adhesion.

“In response, our group built a conformally coated scaffold (CCS) design by connecting electrolytes, and we coated and sealed it with an electrocatalyst layer that’s stable in steam, absorbs water, and stays intact as temperatures rise and fall.

Protons, heat, and electricity can all move through the structure,” Xingbo Liu, professor of materials science and associate dean for research at the WVU College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, said in a statement.

The WYU team’s prototype proved to be highly resilient, running for more than 5,000 hours at 600 degrees Celsius and 40 percent humidity. Throughout this period, it conducted around-the-clock electrolysis, disassembling water molecules to produce electricity as well as hydrogen.

Steam-tolerant fuel cells

The new design of the US fuel cell greatly outperformed earlier protonic ceramic electrochemical cell (PCEC) technologies, which lasted for considerably shorter periods and suffered evident deterioration in performance with time, the previous benchmark having been only 1,833 hours.

The WVU researchers suggested a CCS architecture to address the limitations of earlier designs. This design of the US fuel cell not only showed outstanding performance for producing energy but also showed excellent efficiency for energy storage.

Their CCS-based system showed stability in repeated and smooth transitions between fuel cell and electrolysis modes over long 12-hour cycles. In a modern power grid increasingly dependent on intermittent renewable energy sources, the capability to switch dynamically is key to maintaining things in balance.

The team addressed long-standing issues with PCECs, including steam-induced electrolyte degradation and thermal incompatibility between electrolytes and oxygen electrodes, leading to faulty connections at elevated temperatures.

The addition of barium ions to the coating was intended to achieve proton conduction by improving its water-retention capability. In order to scale up the CCS cells while maintaining structural integrity, nickel ions were used.

In addition, because the system operates on water vapor, it has the ability to use saltwater or poor-quality water, thus reducing the need for purified water and making it suitable for diverse environments and grid applications.

“All that shows promise for scaling up to industrial levels. We showed that it’s possible to make, on a large scale, CCS fuel cells that will stay strong and stable under intense conditions,” said Hanchen Tian, a WVU doctoral student and postdoctoral researcher at the time of the study, in a statement.

The technology is said to be built on PowerCell’s high-performance stack platform (HDS). It is developed for marine, aviation, and stationary power segments, which will reportedly provide up to 1 MW net electrical output in two integrated units.

As advised, it is containerized integration-ready and will be used as auxiliary power aboard, with the potential to scale to main propulsion in future use.

PowerCell explained that the MS-500 marine fuel cell system provides a greater output compared to previous designs yet has the same physical profile, “more flexible installation and improved energy efficiency for shipowners and system integrators.”

The new system will be type-approved ahead of the market launch in 2028.

Richard Berkling, CEO of PowerCell Group, stated: “This agreement is about scale, precision, and continued progress. The marine fuel cell market has already moved beyond technical pilots — we saw that shift begin last year with the commercial adoption of our Marine System 225. What we are seeing now is acceleration. This order confirms that leading OEMs are not only adopting zero-emission solutions, but they are also planning for the next generation with higher power, lower cost, and smaller footprint. This new platform complements our current product range and strengthens our ability to support customers as fuel cells become a core part of vessel architecture.”

Worth mentioning, this order, which is reportedly the first commercial commitment to the company’s “next-generation” stack platform, is expected to generate SEK 11 million ($1.157 million) in revenue in 2025.

Additionally, on other news, PowerCell received type approval from UK based classification society Lloyd’s Register for Marine System 225, part of its portfolio power solutions based on fuel cells designed for marine conditions. In addition, it received an order from a European shipyard that is not disclosed for its M2Power 250 system, the first commercial sale of an integrated methanol-to-power solution, a technology released in Q3 2024.

The agreement sets out the supply of two Power-Generation System 225 units, which will serve as the main source of energy for the HyFlex system. This integrated, plug-and-play hydrogen generator was developed through a strategic partnership between PowerCell and Hitachi Energy, launched in 2021. The partnership of PowerCell to supply hydrogen fuel cells is to come up with effective hydrogen power solutions that satisfy the energy demand of the entire world while ensuring a transition to renewable energy.

Hitachi Energy is launching its first HyFlex product with PowerCell’s Power-Generation System 225 as an essential enabler, after successful demonstrations and comprehensive field tests. The commercial order marks a major milestone for PowerCell. The order illustrates the company’s increasing confidence in its hydrogen fuel cell technology and ability to disrupt the off-grid energy market.

Richard Berkling, CEO of PowerCell Group, highlighted the importance of this development, stating, “We are delighted to sign this initial commercial order with Hitachi Energy. This signifies that the very promising power generation market is beginning to progress with OEM demand. Hitachi Energy is not just any OEM; its outstanding tradition of grid infrastructure and proven capacity to generate value in the accelerating energy transition makes it the ideal OEM customer for successful technical integration and deployment in the market.”

As demand for clean and emissions-free energy solutions increases, PowerCell’s partnership with Hitachi Energy is a major step forward as PowerCell to supply hydrogen fuel cells in the hydrogen energy sector, highlights their mutual dedication towards cleaner, greener energy systems.

Founder and CEO, Michael Patterson says, “It is exciting to launch our new H2IPO models which have been in development over the last 2 years and are now ready for commercial markets. Clean hydrogen power is now a real option to replace fossil fuels.”

The new designs build on the company’s H2IPO100, first introduced in 2024 as a deployable microgrid product for distributed energy sites. The H2IPO hydrogen power series addresses dependence on combustion fuels through a unified energy hub that seamlessly integrates and manages several power sources, such as hydrogen fuel cells.

For the construction sector, this is an alternative to the current “stepping-stone” of battery systems (BESS) charged by combustion generators. The H2IPO’s large integrated BESS matches what you see on most sites today and can be charged via any on-site AC or DC power supplies (capped grid feeds, solar panels, other generators) or its onboard hydrogen fuel cells, from Toyota Motor Europe.

The innovative design delivers:

• Best-in-class footprint
• Enhanced electrical efficiency
• Lower safety zone specifications 
• A robust, construction-ready housing

The outcome of H2IPO hydrogen power series is a plug-and-play energy hub with a 15+ year lifespan that greatly streamlines on-site power supply.

Patterson said: “We recognized the need for a one-stop-shop energy hub that optimizes any source of available power and integrates hydrogen fuel cells at optimal efficiency. With H2IPO we have achieved this in an extremely compact and robust product.”

He added that “Replacing the generator was only one piece of the puzzle, we saw the industry struggling with system integration and with getting clean hydrogen fuel to sites. Combined with our hydrogen mini-trailer, H2IPO cuts fuel costs and makes it really simple to power a site with hydrogen.”

Improvements in manufacturability in the new designs now allow expansion of a fleet of power hubs for the UK and EU.

Powerhouse Energy Group Plc, waste to low carbon energy with a revenue generating engineering consultancy division (“Engsolve”), is delighted to announce that it has executed a Letter of Intent (“LoI”) with B.S. Holdings Limited (“BSH”), under which PHE will be the sole supplier of Hydrogen (99.999% purity) to BSH’s planned Fuel Cell (Penta) H2P project in Ballymena, Northern Ireland.

B.S. Holdings Limited is a trademarked UK company that specializes in engineering, design build and design, with specific emphasis on hydrogen EHC (electro chemical hydrogen compressor) and H2P (Hydrogen to power). BSH has also a patent pending on a fuel cell hydrogen generation unit called Penta and was in discussions with Powerhouse as a potential energy provider within the region.

The terms of quantity and duration are as per the agreement with DESNZ, Ecotricity, SONI and NIE Networks. It is to be noted that Powerhouse Energy signs LOI with BSH in which PHE would supply hydrogen at a price lower than that of both green hydrogen and the current UK CfD strike price as it is a FOAK (first of a kind) development project underwritten by DESNZ.

Powerhouse Energy signs LOI with BSH will also assist the company in other Penta (Combined Heat and Power) CHP projects within the Mid and East Antrim Council region requiring hydrogen (noting that PHE is a commercial entity), subject to a battery limit of the production site. PHE, through Multiple Element Gas Containers (MEGC) trailers for storage, would remain open in the future to negotiate the facility to use the MEGC trailers to make fuel deliveries to MEA council-supported projects. This will support the council’s drive for net zero and, specifically for net zero manufacturing.

BSH will assist PHE with the procurement of additional commercial clients, the introductions to domestic companies, and grant the Company priority access to any future developments or projects in which it is engaged within NI and the rest of the UK.

Paul Emmitt, Chief Executive Officer of PHE, commented: “This is a first of its kind agreement and we are delighted to have entered into the LoI with BSH for this potential DESNZ backed project. One of the key issues holding back the increased utilisation of hydrogen has been gaining appropriate offtake agreements.  This LoI has the potential to deliver that for our Ballymena project. 

We look forward to working with the BSH team to complete this agreement and hopefully working together in Northern Ireland.”

Brian Hood, Chief Executive Officer of BSH, commented:

“Without the fuel, the projects will not float, too many times we see great ideas and advances falter because of inadequacy of fuel and fuel at a sensible price. We also recognise that Powerhouses raw material use is a circular economy piece needed across the world. We are delighted to have reached this agreement and look forward to working alongside them in the delivery of the project.

Our FOAK has the potential to display to the industry an improved way of zero emission delivery for electricity use, controlling electricity wastage, not turning off with curtailment. By turning it into a green gas, then using it in our power stations, when the wind ceases, or as is frequently in Ireland with PV, a cloudy rain soaked dark day with no generation, we reuse the transmission line which is unused, now available and generate to the grid.”

•  Visit leading companies and research institutions
•  Enjoy expert insights & networking opportunities
•  Wrap up the day at our sundowner networking event

Two of the three stops are already confirmed – hy-fcell is happy to have @ZELTWANGER Gruppe (ZELTWANGER Leaktesting & Automation GmbH) and @GLOBE Fuel Cell Systems on board!

Seats are limited – secure yours now: https://www.messe-stuttgart.de/hy-fcell/en/programm/networking-tours/technical-tours/