structural change

The Road to a Hydrogen Future

Wind turbines and photovoltaic systems, such as those seen here next to the Brainergy Park in Jülich, are among the technologies that will make a future with hydrogen possible. Photo: Forschungszentrum Jülich/Jansen

“Hydrogen is an essential part of the future of our company. We have an innovative idea, but need support in finding the best way forward.” If your company is based in the Rhenish mining area and this statement more or less reflects your stance on hydrogen, then you’ve come to the right place. Take the first step: write down your first concept on no more than three pages and submit your idea to us. You can also contact us to arrange a consultation.

Our email address is ideenskizzen.hc-h2@fz-juelich.de.

Project developers at the Helmholtz Cluster for a Sustainable and Infrastructure-Compatible Hydrogen Economy (HC-H2) can advise you and review your concept. They assess whether your project is sufficiently innovative that it can be supported with funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). There is an informal call for funding from the BMBF for this purpose.

Focus on climate change and structural change

If the project can make an innovative contribution to reducing global warming while also having the potential to bring about new economic power in the Rhenish mining area, then our cluster – the core of which is formed by Forschungszentrum Jülich’s Institute for a Sustainable Hydrogen Economy – can help you and your project to take the next steps towards a hydrogen future.

In your three-page concept, the demonstration project should be clearly presented from a technological perspective. It should also clearly outline the innovative nature of the project and the way in which new economic power can be generated in the Rhenish mining area. Alongside climate change, structural change in the Rhenish mining area is the second important factor influencing the work of HC-H2.

The cluster aims to develop into a demonstration region in which innovative hydrogen technologies are demonstrated, the development, operation, and export of which will create new jobs. With the goal being to export these technologies to other regions of the word, hydrogen technology is having a growing influence in the fight against climate change.

Current

Nineteen new jobs at Brainergy Park

September 8, 2025

Growth continues at Brainergy Park in Jülich: The Institute for Sustainable Hydrogen Economy at Forschungszentrum Jülich, which forms the core of the HC-H2 cluster, is

Curiosity Day on 7 September

August 22, 2025

On Sunday, 7 September 2025, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Forschungszentrum Jülich will open its doors to anyone who is curious! Visitors will have

The large foundation stone at Brainergy Park

August 19, 2025

The first stone has been laid for one of the most important structural change projects in the Rhineland mining region. North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister President Hendrik

New catalyst approach combines advantages from two worlds

July 30, 2025

A team from Forschungszentrum Jülich and RWTH Aachen University has developed a novel approach for a catalyst that combines the advantages of the two most

The colours of hydrogen, part 4: pink

July 2, 2025

Pink hydrogen: atomic power for electrolysis? The political decision has been made: Germany will no longer produce nuclear power since the last three nuclear power

Prof. Peter Wasserscheid takes over institute division

June 6, 2025

The founding phase of the Institute for Sustainable Hydrogen Economy (INW) at Forschungszentrum Jülich has been completed. Prof. Peter Wasserscheid took up the position of

New prospects for green ammonia

June 2, 2025

Converting ammonia production to a low-emission process is one of the major challenges in the fight against climate change. Ammonia, one of the world’s most

Sparkasse is undergoing structural change

May 28, 2025

Structural change is transforming many things – even for long-established companies such as Sparkasse. The Stadt Dürener Pfand-Leihhaus mit Sparkasse (Düren Municipal Pawnbroker and Savings

The Yin and Yang of the Hydrogen World

February 20, 2025

Electrolysers and fuel cells are like the yin and yang of the hydrogen world. They represent two processes that are opposite yet perfectly complementary. An

That’s right: lots of hot air

February 14, 2025

Heat plays a crucial role in the energy transition. It is needed to heat our buildings, but also as process heat in industry. What’s more,