Introducing the hydrogen excavator project: a mini excavator, the Faculty of Communication and Environment (K&U), the Faculty of Technology and Bionics (T&B), Professors Dr Irmgard Buder and Dr Peter Kisters, Norbert Reintjes from the TransRegINT project, trainees from HSRW and the Omexom Group, and students from both faculties. In addition, the ‘MAKS MACHT’ workshop of the Omexom company and the ITQ GmbH company.
The basis: a mini excavator with electric drive and cable, donated by the Product Design Department of the T&B Faculty of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Peter Kisters. The task: conversion into a visually appealing electric excavator with battery and fuel cell as range extender.
A mini excavator, originally built for use in renovation work in smaller spaces, is set to expand its scope of application and will, for example, be used in the Alleen 3 agroforestry system of our Agroforestry Living Laborator. To do this, it must become wireless. Under the guidance of Norbert Reintjes, a first-year product design apprentice at HSRW and two first-year apprentices, one in electronics and one in commercial vehicle mechanics, from Omexom have been working on the hydrogen excavator project since May 2025. ‘They first dismantled the excavator into parts, collected data and are now designing a basic model using CAD software,’ explains Norbert Reintjes, who acts as the interface between the T&B faculty, students and external stakeholders from industry, among others, in our project. ‘This will lay the foundation for further development of the project with students in an interactive workshop, known as a makeathon. At the same time, two bachelor’s theses will be written. During the rest of the project, they will then be the experts supporting the students in development and assembly.’
No need to stick to theory: students wanted for practical project!
In a makeathon, the mini excavator is to be rebuilt within a week with students from the K&U and T&B faculties and made operational in its basic functions. The makeathon is planned for March/April 2026 and will be prepared through an interdisciplinary semester project. To this end, students will work in groups during the semester to test and select suitable components such as fuel cells, batteries, inverters and others, taking into account system requirements and operational safety.
‘By participating, students gain experience in project planning in a safety-relevant and demanding professional environment and come into direct contact with partner companies,’ says Prof. Dr. Irmgard Buder, encouraging participation.
Two bachelor’s theses offered
In addition, two bachelor’s theses are being offered as part of the project: Here, too, the focus is not purely theoretical; ideally, the thesis will be linked to the semester project. After all, the results of the bachelor’s theses will form the basis for deciding which motor to choose for the hydrogen excavator. The exact question addressed in the first bachelor’s thesis for students of mechanical engineering or the technically oriented courses of study at the Faculty of Communication and Environment is therefore: Synchronous AC motor or DC motor? What is the better solution for battery operation, which is charged by an on-board hydrogen fuel cell? The second bachelor’s thesis, suitable for students of mechanical engineering or similar courses, is dedicated to the CAD preparation of the battery, fuel cell and hydrogen storage for the conversion of the excavator.
The mini excavator is now at MAKS MACHT in Uedem. The specialised workshop for commercial vehicles offers optimal conditions for the young people: a well-equipped workshop with a wealth of expertise on site enables practical work in a ‘real’ working environment. Norbert Reintjes takes a pragmatic view and says with a smile: ‘For the hydrogen excavator project, we have expanded our laboratories to include the Omexom workshops.’
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