A climate-friendly energy supply is one of the great challenges of our time. Resources must be conserved and the potential of renewable energies must be used effectively. A successful energy transition requires a combination of security of supply, affordability and environmental compatibility with innovative and intelligent climate protection, as well as effective interlinking and optimization of the energy sectors of electricity, heat and transport. Synergies can be efficiently exploited through this sector coupling. This requires viable alternative options to the fossil fuels currently still in use. This is where hydrogen technology offers an excellent opportunity.

These objectives are accompanied by equally challenging change processes. Lusatia, Germany's second-largest lignite mining region, where some 24,000 jobs depend on this fossil fuel, is facing far-reaching structural change. The task is to develop this tradition-rich energy region into an attractive and livable innovation region with new prospects.

On July 15, 2019, the Free State of Saxony, Siemens AG and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft signed a declaration of intent to strengthen the region in the long term and support structural change in Lusatia. The Innovation Campus Görlitz is being created for this purpose. The aim of this future pact is to attract further technology and industrial companies, start-ups and research institutes. The focus is on digitalization, automation, energy technology and innovative materials and manufacturing technologies.

The Fraunhofer Hydrogen Lab Görlitz (HLG) is a research platform and research infrastructure on the Innovation Campus Görlitz. The aim is to develop innovative solutions along the hydrogen value chain. Here, the HLG benefits from the synergy effects of the research competencies of the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU and the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems IWES.

The research focuses on the generation and storage of hydrogen as well as the use of hydrogen in mobile as well as stationary fuel cells, especially for mobility and for supplying neighborhoods and industrial sites. This includes in particular the evaluation of stacks and systems, microstructure analytics and diagnostics, digitalization, production processes, power electronics as well as certification.

The Fraunhofer Hydrogen Lab Görlitz with its connected load of approx. 10 MW (perspectively 15 MW) will be the location for the development and testing of future-proof and sustainable hydrogen technologies in Saxony. The HLG actively contributes to achieving climate neutrality and maintaining technological leadership in the field of hydrogen technologies.

The Fraunhofer Hydrogen Lab Görlitz attracts further new industry and technology partners and thus significantly strengthens the economic region of Lausitz. The central concern here is to closely link training, applied research and practice at an early stage, to create new jobs and thus to anchor competence and economic power in the region.