Free State of Saxony: AMBARtec receives funding for hydrogen storage power plant
DRESDEN/FREIBERG, 27 January 2025 – Saxony is funding a joint research project between AMBARtec AG and Technical University Bergakademie Freiberg with almost four million euros. The aim is to develop the technology for storing hydrogen using iron nuggets to the point where it is ready for series production and to implement it economically in the form of a storage power plant. At the symbolic handover of the funding decision, Minister for Economic Affairs Dirk Panter (SPD) emphasised the great opportunities offered by this technology for replacing the energy supply of companies by renewable sources.
Dirk Panter: 'Technology has a lot of potential to significantly advance the transition of our economy to environmentally and climate-friendly energy. Research and development is the driving force behind growth and productivity and ensures that Saxon companies remain internationally competitive in the long term thanks to innovative product and process solutions'.
Private commitment and public support
The Free State of Saxony and the European Union are supporting this project with funds from the "Joint R&D Project Funding 2021-2027". AMBARtec AG will receive a maximum of €3.19 million. The funding from TU Bergakademie Freiberg amounts to around 659,000 euros. 'Owners and investors have already invested €4 million in the development of the technology. As part of the joint research project, we will contribute a further €2 million from our own resources,' says Uwe Pahl, Technical Director of AMBARtec. We are therefore delighted that our commitment has been publicly recognised and would like to thank the Free State of Saxony for their confidence and ongoing support.'
A hydrogen storage power plant to demonstrate the entire storage process
‘Together with the Institute of Energy Process Engineering and Chemical Engineering at TU Bergakademie Freiberg, we will continue to develop our proven storage technology to make a 20-foot container ready for series production containing storaged energy of 800 kg of hydrogen,' explains Uwe Pahl. AMBARtec and TU BAF signed the cooperation agreement today. For Prof. Martin Gräbner, Director of the Institute of Energy Process Engineering, the topic fits very well into the department's strategy of 'Electrification of the carbon cycle and hydrogen technologies'. ‘In addition to the scientific monitoring of the pilot operation, the focus will be on modelling the processes involved. We are delighted to be able to contribute to this pioneering technology through this project,' says Prof Gräbner.
We will build our hydrogen storage power plant here on the premises of SAXONIA Standortentwicklungs- und -verwaltungsgesellschaft", adds AMBARtec's Managing Director Matthias Rudloff. Uwe Pahl and Saxonia Managing Director Heiko Schwarz also signed a corresponding document today. We have competent partners here and the necessary infrastructure is in place. We have also tested the previous prototypes here and are using the storage power plant to prove the technical feasibility of an efficient hydrogen-based storage capacity of at least 72 hours in accordance with the draft of the Power Plant Safety Act,' continued Matthias Rudloff.
The oil of the future
With AMBARtec's iron nuggets, hydrogen and its energy can be stored safely and efficiently and transported in standard containers by truck, train or ship. And to any location. ‘This is particularly interesting for the many companies that need green hydrogen for their renewable energy supply but will not be connected to the hydrogen grid, at least not in the near future,’ says Uwe Pahl. ‘Hydrogen is the oil of the future, and with our storage facilities we can ensure that it gets to where it is needed. And not just at some point in the future, but almost immediately and at comparatively low cost,' concludes Matthias Rudloff.
Pressekontakt:
Dr. Ines Bilas
AMBARtec AG
Head of Marketing and Communication
Phone: +49 172 234 11 00
E-Mail: ines.bilas@ambartec.de
Website: www.ambartec.de