Hydrogen - how to stay mobile

Fraunhofer ISE produces its own green hydrogen at a solar-powered filling station, which the institute has been operating since March 2012. “We cover the entire process chain – from photon to traction,” says Dr. Tom Smolinka, head of the department for Chemical Energy Storage at Fraunhofer ISE. Using its own locally generated solar power, the institute operates an electrolyzer fitted with a modern membrane technology and housed in a container. The resulting hydrogen is compressed to 900 bar and stored in a high-pressure tank. The refueling process takes place at a pressure of 700 bar, lasts between three and five minutes and is free of charge. “But we’re not really aiming to refuel hundreds of cars,” says Smolinka. “Our solar-powered filling station provides us with a research and technology platform. It has a lot of measurement systems for monitoring purposes and also has a control system that enables flexible operation.”