Students from Neu-Delhi and Marienberg discover hydrogen at the TU Chemnitz

Students from Neu-Delhi and Marienberg discover hydrogen at the TU Chemnitz

Chemnitz, Deutschland - On May 23, 2025, students from Neu-Delhi and Marienberg visited the Technical University of Chemnitz. The aim of the visit was to bring alternative forms of energy to young people and to explain the various opportunities to obtain, store and use these energies. Dr. Martina Wanke, the head of the student laboratory "Wunderland Physics", presented the functioning of fuel cells, while Dr. André Bergmann explained the hydrogen cycle. Dr. Manfred Karras then led the group to a chemical laboratory where an experiment with Biodiesel took place.

The students found out as part of an exchange program between the Marienberg high school and the Bal Bharati Public School in New Delhi about energy sources such as wind power, solar energy, hydrogen and fuel cells. They carried out physical-experimental studies on wind power and conveyed knowledge of the sustainable production of biodiesel at the Institute of Chemistry.

insights into hydrogen technologies

In the student laboratory of the faculty for mechanical engineering, the focus was on the subject of green mobility, in particular the use of hydrogen in vehicles. Student questioning on MINT courses at the TU Chemnitz showed the interest in the connection options between natural sciences and technology.

hydrogen is obtained via various production methods, often from fossil raw materials. The so-called "gray hydrogen" causes high CO2 emissions, while "blue hydrogen" significantly reduces emissions by separating CO2. But the future belongs to the "green hydrogen", which is obtained from renewable energy sources such as sun or wind energy and plays a crucial role in the context of decarbonization. According to Energy innovation Austria , only 2 % of the current hydrogen from electrolysis is obtained, which underlines the need for growing production.

national strategies and innovations

Austria pursues a national hydrogen strategy that is anchored in the government program. This is part of the goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2040. In order to overcome the obstacles to hydrogen production and use, intensively research is being researched on new technologies. Hydrogen can be used as an energy source for electricity and heat generation as well as as a fuel in traffic, which is particularly important for heavy and special vehicles. At the Fraunhofer IKTS are developed for the use of hydrogen in order to reduce the CO2 emissions.

The need for hydrogen is expected to increase globally; In 2018, the hydrogen requirement was already around 115 million tons. The technologies for hydrogen storage and distribution are crucial to stabilize the energy supply and ensure sustainable use. As part of their visit, the pupils not only learned theoretical basics, but also received practical insights into innovative technology concepts that are important for the mobility of the future.