Revolution in hydrogen transport: New project in MV sets standards!

Revolution in hydrogen transport: New project in MV sets standards!

There is currently a lot happening in the area of ​​hydrogen technology in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The “FormaPort” project sets new standards for safe, environmentally friendly and economical hydrogen transport. Science and industry work together in an interdisciplinary research network to develop innovative solutions. Formate salts in particular are being brought into play as a chemical storage medium, which makes the project particularly interesting. As the website IWR reports, Economics Minister Dr. Wolfgang Blank presented the funding totaling 4.4 million euros in Rostock on August 8, 2025, with Wismar University receiving 1.1 million euros for its process engineering development.

But what exactly does this project do? Formate salts can absorb and release hydrogen efficiently, making them a promising candidate for hydrogen storage. The advantages are clear: they are easy to handle and comparatively harmless when it comes to decentralized hydrogen provision. The entire research network has set itself the goal of developing a robust and scalable storage system that will be tested in various phases over the next four years.

Important project partners and tasks

The consortium consists of four important partners: AKROS Energy GmbH from Laage leads the project and takes care of the development of demonstration systems. The Leibniz Institute for Catalysis e. V. (LIKAT) in Rostock is responsible for optimizing the catalysts, while Wismar University is responsible for process engineering. TAB GmbH in Bentwisch is also working on building an energy-efficient crystallizer. Together, these partners should make the industry ready for new hydrogen technologies.

However, the significance of this project extends far beyond national borders. Energy demand in Europe is growing and the need to efficiently store renewable energy is more acute than ever. According to the Fichtner website, hydrogen offers great potential as an energy source, especially when produced through water electrolysis using electricity from renewable sources. Underground storage solutions, especially in the form of salt caverns, are considered cost-effective and offer enormous technical potential. In Germany, existing cavern storage facilities are expected to be converted to hydrogen by 2050, which will require urgently needed storage capacities of over 24 TWh in the minimum scenario.

Prospects for a CO2-neutral future

The research work and development projects as part of “FormaPort” are part of a larger trend towards a CO2-neutral hydrogen economy, as the Fraunhofer Society emphasizes. In order to achieve the climate goals, targeted sector coupling is necessary. By producing green hydrogen from renewable energies, emissions can be reduced in areas where efficiency measures are not sufficient. Hydrogen will therefore not only be seen as an energy source, but will also act as a crucial link between the electrical and material worlds.

The “FormaPort” project is creating an important building block for the development of a sustainable hydrogen infrastructure in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. This not only shows a spirit of innovation, but also that the region is ready to face the challenges of the energy transition.