From September 1st to 3rd, 2025, Helmut Schmidt University hosted the second annual conference of dtec.bw – the center for digitilization and technology research of the federal armed forces of Germany. Also in attendance were the the Institute of Applied Materials Engineering and the Institute for Automotive Engineering at HSU, the Institute for Hydrogen Technology at the Helmholtz Center Hereon, the Institute of Networked Energy Systems at DLR, and the Institute of Environmental Technology and Energy Economics at TUHH, which provided exciting insights into the joint research project Digi-HyPro.
During the conference, the project partners presented not only their current research, but also a series of impressive exhibits, including an electrolyzer, prototypes of a metal hydride storage tank and a metal hydride compressor, and a hydrogen loading station for testing purposes. There was also a small fleet of battery-electric and hydrogen-electric vehicles, which are also part of the project. Monitors displayed the newly developed container solutions for hydrogen storage and compression, which are currently being commissioned at Hereon.
A major highlight was the model of a port with a submarine, which illustrated how Digi-HyPro’s technologies can contribute to refueling hydrogen-powered submarines through sector coupling. The exhibition was complemented by a model of Hereon’s research vessel Coriolis, which demonstrates the maritime application of metal hydride technology in coastal research.
The annual conference provided an excellent platform for exchange with other scientists and interested parties and highlighted the versatility and forward-looking nature of hydrogen technology in research and application.