“Hydrogen replaces diesel generator” wins University Prize 2024

The project “H2-Power: Hydrogen replaces diesel generators” has won the 2024 University Prize of the Kleve District Economic Development Agency. The cooperation between the transformation project “Hydrogen on the Lower Rhine” and Omexom aims to develop an environmentally friendly replacement for diesel generators by using hydrogen as a renewable energy source.
13 students from five different degree courses at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences (HSRW) are working together with trainees from Omexom Smart Technologies GmbH on a hydrogen-powered backup power generator under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Irmgard Buder.

Task and objective

The task of the project is to develop a backup power generator that uses hydrogen as an energy source and thus represents a green alternative to diesel generators. The aim is to demonstrate that there are sustainable alternatives to mobile power supplies that do not produce harmful emissions.

Development status and project success

The project officially began on April 3, 2024 and will run until the end of the 2024 summer semester. The aim is to build a mobile power supply based on batteries and a fuel cell. The fuel cell is supplied with hydrogen from a metal hydride storage tank and enables the batteries to be charged continuously. This means that electricity can be provided over a longer period of time, comparable to a diesel generator, but without emissions.
A key milestone is the completion of the prototype, which is scheduled for July 1, 2024. The prototype will be presented at Omexom Smart Technologies GmbH in Uedem. The entire development process and the results of the project will be recorded in open source documentation and made available to the public, enabling third parties to replicate and further develop the prototype.

Sustainability aspect

Diesel generators are in use worldwide and cause significant emissions of pollutants such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides and particulate matter, which are harmful to both health and the climate. In contrast, the hydrogen-powered backup generator only produces water as an emission.
There are also plans to produce the required hydrogen using renewable energies at Omexom Smart Technologies GmbH in the future, which will allow the genset to be operated in a CO₂-neutral manner.

Public funding and implementation

The project is cross-financed by HSRW from TransRegINT funds. The implementation of the project in the company is foreseeable: The prototype will be made available for teaching and demonstration purposes at Omexom Smart Technologies GmbH at the end of the summer semester.
With this pioneering innovation, the project has impressively demonstrated that sustainable technology is not only possible, but also practicable and efficient. Practical and scientific experience is exchanged and mutual understanding is promoted. The Kleve District Economic Development Agency’s university prize is a well-deserved recognition for this outstanding project.

You can find out more about the project here.