Proton Motor Fuel Cell – New project network “NEXUS-fc” receives around EUR 1.4 million public funding.
In many areas of cutting-edge research, small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs) are at the forefront of technological progress. The “SME innovative” program of the Berlin-based “Federal Ministry of Education and Research” (BMBF) simplifies the application and allocation of funding.
“SME innovative” is integrated into technology fields that are particularly important for Germany’s future, such as resource efficiency and climate protection.
For a project in this respect, the new network “NEXUS-fc” has now received public funding of around EUR 1.4 million for the duration from February 2021 to January 2023. With registration in the category “Climate Protection”, the project objective of “NEXUS-fc” provides for the development and production of a grid-independent battery-buffered fast charging station with fuel cell supply for the project partner “In-der-City-Bus GmbH” as a company of “Stadtwerke Frankfurt am Main”.
The world’s first version based on hydrogen fuel cells is used in this performance class to compensate for a lack of charging power from the grids for battery-powered buses.
In addition to In-der-City-Bus (www.icb-ffm.de), the “Proton Motor Fuel Cell GmbH” (www.protonmotor.de), to which almost EUR 290.000 is allocated, the Acherner “Schaefer Elektronik GmbH” (www.schaeferpower.de) with its expertise in the field of power supply systems for industrial applications and the “Karlsruhe Institute of Technology” (www.kit.edu) are members of the consortium.
The also Achern-based non-applicant associated partner “fischer Power Solutions GmbH”(www.fischergroup.com) is connected to this by supplying a high-performance lithium-ion battery. Already in September 2019, both managements of Schaefer Elektronik and Proton Motor announced the joint venture “NEXUS-e GmbH” (www.nexus-e.de) for the development and marketing of fuel cell fast charging stations for electric vehicles.
Public transport fast charging stations based on hydrogen fuel cell technology from Proton Motor
A central approach to achieving Germany’s climate goals is the electrification of public and individual transport and thus the realization of locally emission-free transport. Energy supply of renewable energies is subject to fluctuations that are difficult to plan.
Nevertheless, the current account in the supply network must be balanced at all times.
Decentralized network structures are created. Independent regenerative feed-in seders and consumers must be integrated into the new network structures. Both the integration of renewable energy and the electrification of public transport represent a major challenge for the supply network.
With the approach to battery buffering of the charging infrastructure, fed by a fuel cell, offers with one or more fast charging stations at locations without sufficient grid connection power become possible in the first place.
The “NEXUS-fc” concept avoids expensive grid expansion and ensures a balance of the energy received over the day while buffering power peaks. The use of Proton Motor fuel cells as energy storage systems makes a decisive contribution to reducing CO2 emissions.
SME innovative” funding for technology pioneer Proton Motor Fuel Cell GmbH: SMEs make climate protection mobile and strengthen public transpor, Puchheim near Munich, August 11, 2021
