The EU Green Deal is expected to stimulate highly dynamic and concentrated activity, focused on industrial, grid-friendly and mobile applications for hydrogen, on the path to climate neutrality. The H2 Research Map has been collated in June 2021 by the Green Tech Cluster, from information provided by academic and non-academic research institutions in Austria. The map gives the key focus of research, the size of the laboratory facilities and equipment, and the contact persons for collaboration with commercial enterprises.
Across Austria, a total of 19 institutions, employing 310 (full-time equivalent) hydrogen researchers have been recorded. Styria, the “Green March”, leads with more than 60% of Austria’s hydrogen researchers, followed by Vienna. The Graz University of Technology Campus, housing HyCentA, LEC and BEST with 160 research workers, is not only by far the largest centre for hydrogen research in Austria, it also ranks as one of the top in Europe alongside the likes of Forschungszentrum Jülich. To stay on top of the strong international dynamics, a new gas analysis laboratory was opened this week. The Vienna University of Technology and the University of Leoben are also important national centres.
Emphasising the potential of this technology, the State Minister for Economic Affairs, Barbara Eibinger-Miedl noted that: “Styria is the leading federal state in hydrogen research. By developing this advanced technology, we not only make a significant contribution to the energy transition, we also provide an important impetus for economic growth.”
From the H2 Research Map Austria, it is expected that even more companies will migrate towards solution providers, within this field of research and business, according to Christa Zengerer (ACstyria) and Bernhard Puttinger (Green Tech Cluster): “The research today will become the industry of tomorrow. The market is developing exponentially: Now is the time to be part of it. We can make significant achievements working across clusters.” The technology trends and market opportunities up to 2030 are also summarised in the “Green Tech Radar – Green Hydrogen”.
