Goals

WAVE-H2 aims to support the transformation of the manufacturing industry into a climate-neutral economy through flexible, interconnected, and hydrogen-integrating energy supply systems. Three development paths are in focus:

• Supporting SMEs in the manufacturing sector in the establishment and operation of climate-neutral energy systems through decentralized (including off-grid) use of hydrogen technologies.
• Assisting the machinery and plant engineering sector in the development of hydrogen-capable, energy-flexible industrial machinery and equipment.
• Supporting the development of hydrogen system components for dynamic deployment in SMEs in the manufacturing sector.

Unique Selling Points

The WAVE-H2 platform aims for short innovation cycles by combining an innovation platform and an industry platform, as well as rapid techno-economic evaluation and transfer of results into practice. Specifically, this is achieved by:

• Networking and operating a hydrogen-integrated energy supply with hydrogen-based or energy-flexible industrial consumers on an industrial scale.
• Modular construction and innovation spaces that allow for the exchange or addition of individual system components.
• Continuous digital twins that also allow for virtual integration of additional facilities and enable virtual system design and operation.
• Reflection of the industry research platform in corresponding innovation modules, allowing upstream research on specific components for the manufacturing industry.

User Benefits and Transfer Paths

Equipment manufacturers and operators, especially SMEs, benefit from WAVE-H2. Tests and interactive studies of equipment and energy systems are enabled, and further development and optimization are supported through:

• Realistic investigations on an industrial scale for valid data collection for targeted technology and energy system development for use in the manufacturing industry.
• Virtual testing opportunities for equipment manufacturers in the digital twin.
• Support for SMEs in transforming energy supply through decentralized hydrogen production and optimized hydrogen usage paths (e.g., bivalency) for economically efficient and environmentally sustainable solutions.