Sector Coupling by Hydrogen

The exhibit of Fraunhofer ISE shows the possibilities of sector coupling by hydrogen. In 2012 and 2017, two hydrogen plants, the H2 refueling station and the H2 feed-in plant, were installed at the institute. Both plants are examples of the manifold possibilities of using hydrogen in the energy system.

With the help of a PEM electrolyser, hydrogen is produced by splitting water with the aid of electric current. The gas produced can then be stored in pressure tanks or discharged directly into the respective sectors. By means of an H2 refueling station, cars, trucks and buses in the transport sector can be supplied with renewable fuel. The H2 feed-in plant enables the gas network to be supplied with renewable gas.

Fraunhofer ISE uses the H2 refueling station and the feed-in plant as a research platform for testing innovative components for H2 and natural gas applications as well as for testing new operating modes of electrolysis, refueling station and feed-in plants.

The "Chemical Energy Storage" department at Fraunhofer ISE offers customers the opportunity to test their own product developments on their own hydrogen plants and for the first time use them in practice in the field.

In addition, Fraunhofer ISE has many years of experience with the in-house developed simulation toolbox "H2ProSim", which provides the key competence for the design and evaluation of complex hydrogen systems.