With the National Hydrogen Strategy, the federal government set the framework for the ramp-up of hydrogen technologies in Germany in June 2020. In addition to its high relevance for climate policy, an important focus of the strategy is on the industrial policy potential of green hydrogen technology for the German business location. These include in particular the key technologies of water electrolysis and fuel cell technology. In addition to strengthening the system suppliers, the supplier industry must also be sustainably established and strengthened.

Fuel cell systems in connection with green hydrogen will be necessary in the future for an efficient decarbonisation of the transport sector. This primarily concerns applications with high energy requirements and the areas of application in which the battery-electric drive is not suitable, such as heavy goods transport, regional rail transport trains, public transport buses and long-distance cars. With the National Innovation Program for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NIP), important foundations were laid at an early stage since 2006 and the first series-ready products have already been developed. The current orientation of the second phase of the NIP focuses on promoting and establishing these technologies close to the market. This is where measure 10 of the National Hydrogen Strategy comes in and continues the efforts of the NIP by examining the establishment of a technology and innovation center for hydrogen technology.

As part of a competition published by the BMVI to identify potential locations for the implementation of such a center, 3 winners will be selected. Within the scope of this contract, feasibility studies are to be carried out for 3 possible location-related concepts resulting from the competitive procedure. These feasibility studies should in turn serve as the basis for the final choice of location for the construction of the technology and innovation center. The winners are selected by the client and are not part of the commissioning.

The aim of the assignment is to develop implementation concepts for these locations, taking into account legal and economic framework conditions. Both content-related questions and questions about the operator and the effects of public funding of a market-based center are to be examined. An implementation concept depends largely on the local framework. These include, for example, the infrastructure connection or the possible industry and research partners.

Ultimately, the feasibility studies should form the basis for the BMVI's strategic decision for a site-specific concept as a template for setting up the Technology and Innovation Center Hydrogen Technologies.

The BMVI intends to support the establishment of a technology and innovation center for hydrogen technologies. The competitive process to identify suitable locations for such a center was initiated on November 10, 2020. The competition invites you to apply with a location-based concept. A location-related concept can also be decentralized and consist of several locations under one organizational roof.

Within the scope of this contract, feasibility studies are to be carried out for 3 possible location-related concepts resulting from the competitive procedure. The selection of the location-related concepts, for which the feasibility is to be checked in detail within the scope of this contract, will be announced by the BMVI before the order is placed.

This service description optionally includes the inclusion of up to 3 additional location-related concepts for individual work packages, if this should prove necessary. This service is defined in more detail in Section III and is to be offered as an option. The services of the future technology and innovation center for hydrogen technologies, which are to be defined in more detail within the scope of the contract, are aimed at innovative companies and especially small and medium-sized companies.

The intended public funding of the future technology and innovation center for hydrogen technologies may result in an advantage for companies that will use its services in the future.

In order to rule out inadmissible distortions of competition on the European market, the legal framework, in particular the state aid law, must be determined as part of the feasibility study. These must then be taken into account when setting up and operating the technology and innovation center for hydrogen technologies.

The main task of the contractor will be the development of an economically viable operator model, taking into account the local and legal framework conditions as well as the funding opportunities from the public sector.

The feasibility studies form the basis for the final decision for a site-specific concept by the BMVI and for the subsequent establishment of the Technology and Innovation Center for Hydrogen Technologies. Here there is the possibility that a decentralized location concept will prove to be the most effective.

The order includes the following work packages:

- Work package 1: Determination of needs of the target groups - Content layout of the technology and innovation center,

- Work package 2: Regional and national networking,

- Work package 3: Examination and evaluation of the site-specific conditions,

- Work package 4: basic legal concept,

- Work package 5: Development of an economically viable operator model,

- Work package 5.1 development phase,

- Work package: 5.2 Sustainable operational phase.