Schaeffler presents industrial-scale hydrogen technologies at Hannover Messe 2025

By Staff Report April 1, 2025 2:20 pm IST

Schaeffler is showcasing innovative hydrogen technologies at the Hannover Messe. The company offers solutions for the production and use of hydrogen, including electrolysers with outputs of up to 1 megawatt, fuel cell stacks, and bipolar plates featuring the Enertect coating.

The motion technology company Schaeffler is showcasing innovative technologies for the future field of hydrogen at the Hannover Messe. The company takes a holistic view of the hydrogen value chain and, with its decades of product expertise, offers solutions for the production and use of this sustainable energy carrier. At the Hannover Messe, Schaeffler presents electrolysers with outputs of up to 1 megawatt, as well as fuel cell stacks and bipolar plates featuring the innovative Enertect coating. This multi-award-winning coating is free of precious metals and excels in hydrogen applications due to its exceptional electrical conductivity and corrosion resistance.

Florian Windisch, head of the hydrogen business unit at Schaeffler, said, “Schaeffler’s goal is to drive the energy transition and thus the decarbonisation of various industrial sectors. To achieve this, industrial-scale production of green hydrogen is crucial. At Schaeffler, we focus on the entire hydrogen value chain – from production via electrolysis to the use of hydrogen in fuel cells.”

Electrolysers for industrial applications

At the Hannover Messe, Schaeffler demonstrates how the use of green hydrogen in production can contribute to the energy transition in the industrial sector. At the heart of the display is a 1-megawatt electrolyser capable of producing around 450 kilograms of hydrogen per day. Schaeffler’s product range includes Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyser stacks with scalable outputs ranging from 50 kW to 1 MW. Smaller electrolysers are also available without membranes, making them ideal for research and development projects.

A key advantage of Schaeffler’s electrolyser is its robust design, which enables a high power density due to a large active cell area. These characteristics make PEM electrolysers highly versatile and particularly suitable for demanding applications where efficiency and reliability are essential. They can be integrated into hydrogen production systems on a small, medium, or large industrial scale – from decentralised commercial applications to hydrogen production linked directly to renewable energy sources, as well as hydrogen supply and refuelling systems.

Innovative fuel cell stacks and bipolar plates

Another element of the hydrogen value chain is the use of hydrogen. Schaeffler is presenting an innovative fuel cell stack that, despite its low weight of less than 0.5 kg/kW, offers a particularly high power density for e-mobility applications. The fuel cell stack features an advanced bipolar plate coating system that can be customised to meet specific customer requirements. The company has also developed the Enertect coating family, which can be used in both electrolysers and fuel cell systems. Enertect is free of precious metals and offers extremely high corrosion resistance. The coating reduces the CO₂  footprint of the bipolar plate by more than 75 per percent and significantly increases the efficiency of both fuel cells and electrolysers. The entire manufacturing process for the metallic bipolar plates takes place in-house at Schaeffler.

Schaeffler at the Hannover Messe

Schaeffler’s innovative hydrogen technologies are on display at the Hannover Messe from March 31 to April 4, 2025, in Hall 5, at Booth D18. Additionally, Schaeffler has a dedicated hydrogen booth located in Hall 13, at Booth E41/1. As part of the Schaeffler programme, a presentation titled “Metallic Bipolar Plate Production: Challenges & Mitigation Strategies” will take place on April 2, 2025, at 1:45 p.m. This event is part of the “Hydrogen + Fuel Cells Europe” programme in Hall 13, Booth A30.