As the focus on clean energy and sustainability intensifies, industries across the globe are exploring ways to minimize their carbon footprint. The military sector is no exception, with the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) setting sights on achieving climate neutrality by 2045. Hydrogen fuel cell technology takes center stage in this transition, offering benefits that stretch beyond environmental considerations.
Karsten Pinkwart, a scientist at the Fraunhofer Institute and professor at Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences, champions the combination of a hydrogen fuel cell and a lithium battery as the perfect power duo for military tanks. Current diesel-powered Leopard main battle tanks are challenging to shield from enemy forces due to their thermal signature, noise, and exhaust emissions. However, a hydrogen fuel cell system’s stealth capabilities present a strategically superior alternative. Hydrogen fuel cells generate water as exhaust gas, have no moving parts, and emit no thermal signature, offering the military tactical advantages.
For a long time, the Bundeswehr has relied on diesel and gasoline for its vehicles, a dependency that poses a significant risk as highlighted by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, where despots predominantly control raw materials. As such, transitioning towards green energy becomes strategically crucial and potentially militarily essential, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and bolstering the armed forces’ resilience, as posited by Stefan Bavarian, head of the German Institute for Defence and Strategic Studies (Gids).
Nevertheless, a green transformation comes with challenges. Currently, NATO follows a “single-fuel strategy” for seamless supply across all systems, including an underground pipeline system for the said fuel. Transitioning to a greener alternative like hydrogen or electric power would entail grappling with unprecedented logistical hurdles. Moreover, the low energy density of hydrogen in terms of volume poses complexities in storage and transportation.
Despite these hurdles, progress is palpable. The Bundeswehr’s successful operation of photovoltaic and wind power plants in Mali and Niger, which saved 450,000 liters of diesel per year, underscores the feasibility of renewable energy sources in the military sector.
However, an important consideration is the civilian infrastructure upon which the armed forces depend. As civilian infrastructures shift towards green technologies, the military will inevitably have to adapt. This suggests that the Bundeswehr’s potential move towards hydrogen could be accelerated if their vehicle bases, like the Unimog small truck from Daimler Truck, are exclusively offered with hydrogen combustion engines.
Gids head Bayer estimates that the complete transition to non-fossil fuels will take 30 to 40 years. This transition will likely comprise an energy mix rather than a singular solution, and the Bundeswehr must commence its green conversion now.
While challenges abound, there is a clear opportunity for the Bundeswehr to become a technology trailblazer. By generating marketable demand, the Bundeswehr, similar to the American army, can propel hydrogen production forward. This initial investment in hydrogen could be harnessed to produce synthetic fuels (e-fuels), with hydrogen utilized directly in the fuel cell at a later stage.
Read the most up to date Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Industry news at FuelCellsWorks
