SPÄIN X THE LÄND: Science meets Industry - Hydrogen

Spain and Baden-Wuerttemberg enjoy excellent and long-standing economic, scientific and research relationships. Following the Baden-Wuerttemberg delegation trip to Spain headed by Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann in autumn 2023, "State Agency Baden-Wuerttemberg International" and CELEST organized the "Science meets Industry - Hydrogen" event which took place on 10th and 11th December 2024. In addition to expert lectures from science and industry, participants also had the opportunity to get to know various German and Spanish research and industry clusters and visit the infrastructre at Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) in Ulm and Stuttgart.

Ideas were exchanged and first cooperations in the field of hydrogen discussed along the questions of: How can the hydrogen market place become a success? What about hydrogen transport and safety? How can the required infrastructure be implemented?

The first day of the event kicked off with talks from Dr. Marc-Simon Löffler and Maike Schmidt (both ZSW), Alfredo Iranzo Paricio (Universidad de Sevilla), Prof. Dr. Thomas Jordan (KIT ITES - Institute for Thermal Energy Technology and Safety Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)), Lluís Soler Turu (UPC School Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya), David Wenger (Wenger Engineering), Sergio Martinez (Avalon Renovables) and Margarida Lozano Jardi (Applus+).

Following the talks, the participants from Spain and THE LÄND had the chance to visit the HyFaB - Research Factory for Hydrogen Technology and Fuel Cell Technology at Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW). HyFaB is a pioneering model factory that makes a decisive contribution to the further development and scaling of hydrogen technology and fuel cell technology in Germany and combines the know-how of science and industry to advance the industrial production of fuel cells.

The second day focused on getting to know German and Spanisch research and industry clusters. A one-on-one speed-dating session ended the program in Ulm before the group headed off to the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW)) in Stuttgart where we had the chance to visit the impressive electrolysis plants.

The close cooperation between European Innovation Ecosystems of different European regions is key for the future and we are pleased to see that first connections, future joint events and possible cooperations were made during these two days.