Vaillant Group reinforces activities in fuel cells field
Remscheid, 22 September 2008 – Vaillant Group is reinforcing its development activities in the field of ceramic high-temperature fuel cells towards market maturity. For this purpose, the Remscheid-based heating and air-conditioning specialist today agreed an exclusive cooperation over several years with the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (IKTS) in Dresden. The aim of the cooperation is the development of the fuel cells to series production readiness for heating and electricity generation in buildings. "We are convinced that fuel cells technology has great potential for the future for our company and can make an important contribution to sustainable and efficient energy supply," says Dieter Müller, Vaillant Group Managing Director. "We are pleased that with the IKTS we have found a competent partner to strengthen our activities in the power-heat cogeneration sector."
Ideal know-how complement
With the new cooperation, the scientific competence and leading position of the IKTS in ceramic technologies and the fuel cells system know-how and large-scale production experience of Vaillant Group complement one another. "Due to the cooperation with Vaillant we can consistently further implement our research findings in the field of fuel cells technology towards commercialisation," comments Professor Alexander Michaelis, Director of the IKTS. "This is a unique opportunity for us. It means we can make an important contribution to enhancing Germany's leading position in the sector of innovative energy technologies."
In their cooperation, Vaillant Group and the IKTS will focus above all on the development of SOFC (Solid Oxide Fuel Cells) components in the "hot" area around the so-called "stack". That includes in particular the system areas of fuel gas processing, thermal management and afterburning. The term "stack" means the serial switching-on of several fuel cells because a single cell can only generate a very low voltage. For the further development of the stack, Vaillant Group is continuing to build on its proven cooperation with the Staxera company, a joint venture of Webasto and HC Starck, which also is based in Dresden.
Long-term development strategy
Vaillant Group is one of the pioneers of fuel cells development for house energy technology. In the past the company has, among other things, worked successfully on the integration of various fuel cells systems in power-heat cogeneration installations. Since 2001, Vaillant Group has been assessing in diverse European field tests more than 60 of these innovative systems – including as virtual power plants. In future the company will continue to make a substantial contribution to the development and demonstration of fuel cells within the framework of the German Federal government's National Innovation Programme (NIP). Among other things, Vaillant is also taking part in the government 'Callux' lighthouse project, which starts officially in Berlin tomorrow.
Vaillant Group
Vaillant Group is an internationally operating heating, ventilation and air-conditioning technology concern based in Remscheid, Germany. As one of the world's market and technology leaders, the company develops and produces tailor-made products, systems and services for domestic comfort. The product portfolio ranges from efficient heating appliances based on customary fuels to system solutions for using regenerative energy sources. In financial year 2007 the company, which has been family-owned since its founding in 1874, achieved with almost 12,400 employees sales totalling about €2.4 billion.
Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (IKTS)
IKTS is an institute of the Fraunhofer Society that covers the field of technically high-performance ceramics from basic preliminary research to their application in their full range. Complete production lines from materials to prototypes both in the areas of structural ceramics and functional ceramics are available. The developments in this connection go up to pre-series production of ceramic components and systems.
Contact
Dr Jens Wichtermann
Head of Corporate Communications
Vaillant Group
D-42850 Remscheid
Phone: +49 2191 18-2754
Fax: +49 2191 18-2895
Mobile: +49 175 2951810
jens.wichtermann@vaillant.de
www.vaillant-group.com
