With two new calls under the framework of the National Innovation Programme for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NIP II), the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) is funding the purchase of industrial truck fleets with fuel cell drives as well as hydrogen-producing electrolysis installations. The project funding is being coordinated by NOW GmbH and implemented by Project Manager Jülich (PtJ).
Both funding calls are based on the market activation funding guideline of 9 July 2020. The goal of the funding is the market activation (as the prelimary stage of the market ramp-up) of products which have achieved technical market maturity but have not yet reached market competitiveness. The funding rates for the call for industrial trucks are a maximum of 40 per cent of the additional costs for innovative solutions compared to conventional technology. For the funding of electrolysers, up to 45 per cent of the overall investment costs are allocated. For medium-sized companies, the grant can be raised by ten per cent, for small companies it can be raised by 20 per cent.
Funding call for industrial trucks
Industrial truck fleets will be funded that have a minimum requirement of 3kg hydrogen per operating hour for the overall fleet or that have a minimum of ten vehicles. The associated refuelling infrastructure is also eligible for funding as well as on-site generation of hydrogen by means of electrolysis. The funding volume has an overall limit of 5 million euros – in the event of an excess number of applications, they will be prioritised according to the level of expected CO2 savings.
Funding applications must be submitted by 20.11.2020.
Funding call for electrolysis
Electrolysis installations are eligible for funding that have a minimum output of 250 kWel for the whole system. It is important to ensure that the electrolysis installations are operated with electricity which is 100% renewably generated.
The funding rate amounts to 45 per cent, for SMEs a rate increase to 65 per cent is possible.
Funding applications must be submitted by 20.11.2020.
All the latest funding calls are now available here.
Guidelines for applying, templates, and other required documents for the application as well as an application checklist can be found here (industrial trucks fleets) and here (electrolysis installations) on the website of the project manager.
All applications can be submitted through the easy-online portal.
Contacts
Tobias König (Industrial truck fleets)
Philipp Braunsdorf (Electrolysis installations)