Passing on knowledge and developing it further. For more than 12 years, we have been working on sustainable technologies for a climate-friendly society.
In the areas of hydrogen and fuel technology, battery and charging infrastructure, off-grid power supply as well as LNG and electricity-based fuels, our technical expertise on the vehicle and infrastructure side ranges from the development of individual components and the testing of systems to the procurement of vehicles and the construction of the associated refueling and charging infrastructure.
Technological development is a major component of the funding programmes coordinated by NOW. The goal here is to develop a strong supplier landscape aligned to the idea of Germany as a technological hub. Around 1,000 companies and scientific institutes have been able to participate in the development and establishment of electric mobility with batteries and fuel cells through the ongoing programmes. Especially in the area of fuel cell technology, the value added potential is very high. Not least because of this, prospects for application are a decisive criterion in evaluating project proposals.
Testing products in NOW-coordinated programmes mostly occurs within so-called joint projects. In order to test the operation of cars, buses, commercial or special-purpose vehicles as well as rail cars in rail transport, participating market partners – from the manufacturer, fuel supplier, refuelling or charging station operator right through to the customer – together reproduce the everyday situation, in which the product must prove itself over a longer time period.
The range of technologically market-ready products in hydrogen/ fuel cell and battery technology continues to grow. In commercial competition with conventional technology, batteries and fuel cell vehicles as well as charging poles and hydrogen refuelling stations are not yet competitive. However in order to incentivize the necessary ramp-up now, the federal government supports the vehicles’ procurement through buyer’s premiums and funding programmes.
Our specialists exchange closely with industrial companies, municipalities, municipal companies and fleet operators in order to arrange support using federal funds that exactly reflects the corresponding needs for the purchase of vehicles and the further construction of refuelling and charging options.
Advising the commissioning federal ministries is a major task of the NOW. From assessing technological trends and funding needs, the answering of specific technological questions, through to the preparation of regional projects or international activities, our experts provide high-quality, timely information on a vast number of queries.
Since 2021, NOW has also been involved in the evaluation of the goals set in funding guidelines for more sustainable mobility. NOW develops suitable evaluation concepts with corresponding parameters and carries out the evaluation on behalf of the BMVI.
You can find our publications, from studies to infographics, bundled in our knowledge finder. All projects that we have supported within the framework of the funding programs we coordinate are listed in our project finder.
Information is also available on our specific program and subject websites: