El Ministerio Federal de Transportes (BMV) continúa su apuesta firme por la tecnología del hidrógeno mediante el apoyo a la creación de centros descentralizados de Innovación y Tecnología del Hidrógeno (ITZ-H2). Esta iniciativa, que forma parte del Plan Alemán de Recuperación y Resiliencia (DARP) y cuenta con el respaldo de los fondos europeos NextGenerationEU, representa una medida clave dentro de la Estrategia Nacional del Hidrógeno del gobierno germano.

El centro de Pfeffenhausen, denominado Centro de Usuarios de Tecnología del Hidrógeno (WTAZ), se une a otras sedes ya operativas en Chemnitz y el clúster del norte de Alemania. El objetivo principal de estos centros es proporcionar a pequeñas y medianas empresas (pymes), empresas emergentes y proveedores las herramientas necesarias para el desarrollo, ensayo y comercialización de tecnologías de hidrógeno, impulsando así la competitividad de la economía alemana.

Enfoque en transporte pesado y movilidad aérea urbana

La sede de Pfeffenhausen se especializa en aplicaciones críticas para el futuro de la movilidad: el transporte pesado por carretera y la movilidad aérea urbana. Para ello, el centro está creando infraestructuras de vanguardia que incluyen laboratorios especializados, bancos de pruebas para tanques de almacenamiento, motores de combustión y vehículos completos.

Una de las piezas clave de la instalación será un licuador de hidrógeno que utilizará combustible verde producido directamente en la región, gracias a su ubicación estratégica junto al electrolizador H2YB en la zona de HyBayern. Además, el centro cuenta con el respaldo científico de las universidades de Ingolstadt, Landshut y Regensburg, cerrando una brecha en el mercado al ofrecer capacidades de prueba asequibles que antes no estaban al alcance de las pymes.

Un motor para la estandarización y la creación de valor

Más allá de la infraestructura física, el WTAZ aportará experiencia en investigación industrial, certificación y estandarización. Estos elementos son fundamentales para acelerar la llegada de nuevas tecnologías al mercado y asegurar que la cadena de valor se mantenga en suelo alemán, transformando de manera efectiva la industria de suministros.

El Ministro Federal de Transportes, Patrick Schnieder, destacó que Alemania es líder internacional en tecnología de pilas de combustible y que, para trasladar la investigación a la aplicación masiva, se requieren centros de innovación potentes. Según el ministro, los 54 millones de euros destinados a Pfeffenhausen servirán para establecer una plataforma central que avance en la transición de los sistemas de propulsión y garantice una creación de valor sostenible.

Apoyo institucional y visión a largo plazo

El proyecto está coordinado por NOW GmbH e implementado por Project Management Jülich (PtJ). Dagmar Fehler, directora general y portavoz de NOW GmbH, señaló que estas instalaciones permitirán a las empresas aumentar la madurez tecnológica de sus productos de forma más rápida.

La creación de estas infraestructuras modernas no solo facilita que el transporte pesado y la aviación basada en hidrógeno sean comercializables en menos tiempo, sino que también refuerza la posición de Alemania como un referente global en el sector energético a largo plazo.

English Version

The Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) is continuing to invest in hydrogen technology and is supporting the establishment of decentralised Hydrogen Innovation and Technology Centres (ITZ-H2 – Innovations- und Technologiezentren Wasserstoff). The funding is part of the German Recovery and Resilience Plan (DARP – Deutscher Aufbau- und Resilienzplan) and is provided through the European Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) as part of NextGenerationEU. With the ITZ-H2, the Federal Government is implementing a key measure of the National Hydrogen Strategy.

Alongside Pfeffenhausen, sites in Chemnitz and the northern German cluster of Bremen/Bremerhaven, Hamburg and Stade have already been launched. The aim of all centres is to support small and medium-sized enterprises, start-ups and suppliers in the development, testing and market readiness of hydrogen technologies, thereby providing decisive innovation impetus for the German economy.

The Pfeffenhausen site, the Hydrogen Technology User Centre (WTAZ – Wasserstoff Technologie-Anwender-Zentrum), focuses on applications in heavy-duty transport and urban air mobility, creating state-of-the-art development and testing infrastructures for this purpose. These include specialised hydrogen laboratories, test benches for storage tanks, combustion engines and complete vehicles, as well as a hydrogen liquefier that will use green hydrogen sourced directly from the region in future. The site is located next to the H2YB electrolyser in the HyPerformer region of HyBayern. The centre is supported by strong scientific partners: the Technical University of Ingolstadt, the University of Applied Sciences Landshut and the University of Applied Sciences Regensburg. The WTAZ thereby offers an infrastructure that has not previously been available on the market in this form and closes a key gap for SMEs and start-ups that rely on specialised, affordable testing capacities. In addition, the location provides expertise in industrial research and development, certification, standardisation and standardisation – crucial building blocks for bringing technologies to market more quickly, keeping value creation in Germany and driving forward the transformation of the supply industry.

Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder: “Germany is an international leader in hydrogen and fuel cell technology. For this key technology to make its way from research into widespread application, it needs bold entrepreneurial spirit and powerful hubs for innovation. This is exactly what the Hydrogen Innovation and Technology Centre in Pfeffenhausen, Bavaria, is doing. That is why we are supporting the establishment of the centre with start-up funding of 54 million euros. A central innovation platform for hydrogen technologies is being created here, which will decisively advance the powertrain transition in transport and at the same time secure sustainable value creation in Germany.”

The project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) as part of the “Guideline for the promotion of projects in the course of establishing a decentralised Hydrogen Innovation and Technology Centre” (“Richtli​​nie zur Förderung der Vorhaben im Zuge des Aufbaus eines dezentralen Innovations- und Technologiezentrum Wasserstoff”). Funding for this measure is also provided under the German Recovery and Resilience Plan (DARP – Deut​​scher Aufbau- und Resilienzplan) via the European Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) in the NextGenerationEU programme. The funding guideline is coordinated by NOW GmbH and implemented by Project Management Jülich (PtJ).

Dagmar Fehler, CEO and spokesperson for NOW GmbH: “The ITZ-H2 southern site in Pfeffenhausen will create a modern infrastructure for the development and trialling of hydrogen technologies. The new testing facilities offer SMEs and start-ups in particular the opportunity to advance their developments more quickly. Federal funding is helping to increase technological maturity, further develop standards and thereby make applications in heavy-duty transport and aviation marketable at a faster pace. The ITZ‑H2 sites are thereby making an important contribution to strengthening Germany’s position in the field of hydrogen in the long term.”

Image: Bavarian Minister-President Dr Markus Söder attends the handover of the funding approval for WTAZ Pfeffenhausen with Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder at the Prinz-Carl-Palais in Munich on 10 February 2026. Image credit: Copyright Marc Conzelmann/Bavarian State Chancellery

 

About NOW GmbH

Since 2008, NOW GmbH has been supporting the federal government’s targets in its climate and industrial policy. The tasks of the federally-owned company include developing, monitoring and evaluating funding programmes about climate-neutral mobility and energy supply. NOW GmbH experts supervise projects in the areas of hydrogen, fuel cells, battery and renewable fuels. They reimagine mobility and fuels for cars, buses, trains, commercial vehicles, ships and airplanes, and support the establishment and further development of charging infrastructure and hydrogen refuelling stations for cars and trucks

Image: Bavarian Minister-President Dr Markus Söder attends the handover of the funding approval for WTAZ Pfeffenhausen with Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder at the Prinz-Carl-Palais in Munich on 10 February 2026. Image credit: Copyright Marc Conzelmann/Bavarian State Chancellery

Fuente: NOW GmbH