ZBT Hydrogen Days 2026

Elevated hydrogen concentrations in the geological subsurface have already been measured at numerous locations around the world. Research into understanding a natural underground hydrogen system has gathered momentum in recent years.

• Where in the world is hydrogen actively formed?
• Where did it form in the course of the Earth’s history?
• Can geogenic hydrogen accumulate in large quantities without reacting?

These and many other research questions are still largely unanswered.

The Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) is addressing these issues. In his keynote speech at the ZBT Hydrogen Days, Dr. Peter Klitzke (pictured) from the BGR talks about the current state of research.

And perhaps he will also reveal his assessment of the likelihood of deposits large enough for commercial-scale extraction.

This and many other exciting presentations on technical innovations in the field of hydrogen technologies are available at the
ZBT Hydrogen Days
on 18. and 19. February 2026
at the Fraunhofer-inHaus Zentrum in Duisburg.

Register now and be part of it!

Extracting fossil fuels almost ready-made from the ground and refining them is and will probably remain cheaper than producing a clean energy source yourself using green energy (socialised costs aside). Nevertheless, regulatory support is needed to realise the hydrogen market ramp-up and close the gap between production costs and willingness to pay.

Regulatory instruments can also support the distribution and minimisation of risks through the introduction of a completely new raw material. However, the complexity of the regulatory framework is often criticised.

So how can we manage to efficiently shape the hydrogen market ramp-up? Dr. Ann-Kathrin Klaas (pictured) from the EWI – Institute of Energy Economics at the University of Cologne has some ideas, which she will talk about in her keynote speech at the Hydrogen Days.

This and many other exciting presentations on technical innovations in the field of hydrogen technologies are available at the
ZBT Hydrogen Days
on 18. and 19. February 2026
at the Fraunhofer-inHaus Zentrum in Duisburg.

Register now!

Precise leakage tests are essential for the series production of fuel cell stacks and electrolysers. Various methods can be used to detect leaks during production.

But which test method is the right one for which case? In a feasibility study, Pfeiffer Vacuum + Fab Solutions examined complex stack properties such as multi-layer geometry, sensitive membranes and varying permeation and discussed their influence on the choice of test methods. In his presentation at the ZBT Hydrogen Days, Dr. Philipp Schurig (pictured) describes the methods and their optimal areas of application.

This and many other exciting presentations on technical innovations in the field of hydrogen technologies are available at the
ZBT Hydrogen Days
on 18. and 19. February 2026
at the Fraunhofer-inHaus Center in Duisburg.

Register now and be there!

Whether in electrolysis, transport or the end use of hydrogen – high-performance seals are a decisive factor for safety and efficiency in the hydrogen economy.

In her presentation, Dr. Chen Cao (pictured) will show how the Technetics Group is transferring its expertise from aerospace and nuclear power to hydrogen applications in order to overcome technical challenges under extreme conditions.

Find out more about real applications, material behavior and innovative sealing solutions for the entire value chain!

This and many other exciting presentations on technical innovations in the field of hydrogen technologies are available at our
ZBT Hydrogen Days
on 18. and 19. February 2026
at the Fraunhofer-inHaus Zentrum in Duisburg.

Register here now and secure your ticket!

Why an automotive stack in an airplane reaches its limits

At the ZBT Hydrogen Days 2026, Luca Irtingkauf (pictured) from Aerostack, an Airbus subsidiary, will talk about the specific requirements of commercial aviation for fuel cell stacks. He will provide an overview of current development results, hurdles overcome and unanswered questions on the way to powering the passenger aircraft of the future.

This and many other exciting presentations on technical innovations in the field of hydrogen technologies are available at the
ZBT Hydrogen Days
on 18. and 19. February 2026
at the Fraunhofer-inHaus Zentrum in Duisburg.

Register now and be there!

The innovative direct air capture process from Essen-based start-up Greenlyte Carbon Technologies has left the laboratory scale behind. The first large-scale LiquidSolar plant was recently inaugurated on our hydrogen test field. The highlight of the technology: in addition to_CO2, hydrogen is produced as a process gas. Add a little green hydrogen from electrolysis and we can turn it into e-methane (SNG = Synthetic Natural Gas) with our methanation plant. The synthesis of other energy sources such as methanol and SAF can also be connected downstream of Greenlyte’s DAC process.

Bianca Helbach from the Chair of Technical Thermodynamics (LTT) at RWTH Aachen University and Alexie Cerga from the Chair of Energy Process Engineering and Energy Systems (LEE) at the University of Duisburg-Essen will report on the “DAC-2-E-Methane” project at the ZBT Hydrogen Days. Together we are investigating the interface between DAC and catalytic methane synthesis and optimizing the interaction of the processes.

This and many other exciting presentations on technical innovations in the field of hydrogen technologies are available at the
ZBT Hydrogen Days
on 18. and 19. February 2026
at the Fraunhofer-inHaus Zentrum in Duisburg.

Register now and secure your ticket!

Ammonia is often regarded as a hydrogen carrier – but its potential for industrial process heat goes far beyond this.

In her presentation at the ZBT Hydrogen Days, Dr. Anne Giese from the Gas- und Wärme-Institut Essen e.V. (GWI) will show what opportunities ammonia offers for a climate-neutral heat supply, where we stand technologically today and what questions are still open. She talks about the challenges of ammonia combustion, such as flame stability and NOx emissions, and presents solutions that the GWI is working on.

This and many other exciting presentations on technical innovations in the field of hydrogen technologies are available at the
ZBT Hydrogen Days
on 18. and 19. February 2026
at the Fraunhofer-inHaus Zentrum in Duisburg.

Register now and secure your ticket!