• Dr Florian Stegmann, Minister of State for Baden-Württemberg, visits Rolls-Royce in Friedrichshafen, Germany
• Company focusing on sustainable fuels, new technologies and decentralized energy systems for future energy supply
• mtu fuel cell systems and combustion engines can use green hydrogen to provide climate-neutral energy and propulsion
• Hydrogen availability crucial for the region’s future viability; Rolls-Royce has the greatest demand in the Lake Constance region

Dr Florian Stegmann, Minister of State in the portfolio of the Minister President of Baden-Württemberg and Head of the State Chancellery, has visited Rolls-Royce Power Systems in Friedrichshafen to find out about future climate-neutral solutions. Rolls-Royce is increasingly focusing on the goals of its ‘Net Zero at Power Systems’ sustainability program, which has become even more relevant as a result of the current debate on future energy supply. “For a secure and climate-neutral energy supply, we quickly need sustainable fuels, new technologies and decentralized energy systems. We see hydrogen as one of the key elements in this,” said Andreas Schell, CEO of Rolls-Royce Power Systems. To rapidly expand hydrogen infrastructure, the support of companies, science and politics is required.

Hydrogen availability crucial for the region’s future viability – Rolls-Royce has greatest demand

Rolls-Royce’s Power Systems division has already released the first mtu engines for sustainable fuels, successfully commissioned an mtu fuel cell system for energy supply, and established a clear roadmap for the introduction of hydrogen engines. In a recent study, the company has calculated the specific demand for green hydrogen for the Lake Constance region and for its headquarters in Friedrichshafen, where the new technologies will be tested and used. “The availability of green hydrogen is becoming crucial for the future viability of the region. We expect that our company will have the greatest demand for green hydrogen at Lake Constance from 2024 onwards. But only if the hydrogen is produced from renewable energies, can propulsion and energy systems be operated with it in a climate-neutral manner,” explained Dr Daniel Chatterjee, Director Technology Strategy and Regulatory Affairs at Rolls-Royce Power Systems.

Dr Florian Stegmann, Minister of State and Head of the Baden-Württemberg State Chancellery said: “Baden-Württemberg has set itself the goal of being climate-neutral by 2040. Our companies that develop climate-friendly products and propulsion systems are important drivers of innovation in this context. I am impressed by how ambitiously Rolls-Royce Power Systems has set out on its roadmap for climate neutrality. Green hydrogen plays a central role in ensuring that we can make the climate and energy transition a success. That’s why we want to support our companies in the transformation with the hydrogen roadmap, the planned reFuels BW roadmap and numerous projects from the Baden-Württemberg automotive industry strategy dialog.”

Target: 35 percent greenhouse gas savings with new mtu technologies by 2030

Last summer, Rolls-Royce announced that it would sustainably realign its Power Systems product portfolio so that by 2030, new technologies can save 35 percent of greenhouse gas emissions compared to 2019. These mtu propulsion and energy solutions are used in a wide range of applications, such as power supply, marine vessels and passenger trains.