Future Topic Hydrogen: New Research Center Positions FH Upper Austria as a Leader in Developing New H₂ Applications

FH Upper Austria is making a significant contribution with its newly opened Hydrogen Research Center in Wels, supporting domestic industry in implementing its projects and taking a leading role in hydrogen research.

Since 2023, a total of EUR 7.6 million has been invested in the infrastructure and setup of the Hydrogen Research Center in Wels—EUR 2 million for renovating the facility and EUR 5.6 million for test stands and equipment. Of this, EUR 6.4 million came from the EU and the State of Upper Austria, EUR 0.5 million from the City of Wels, and EUR 0.7 million from company funds. The current volume of hydrogen research projects conducted at the FH Upper Austria Campus Wels amounts to EUR 12.7 million.

At the heart of the new center is a roughly 600 m² multifunctional hydrogen research and testing facility equipped with state-of-the-art lab technology. It supports companies and institutions of all kinds in using climate‑neutral gases such as green hydrogen or developing and testing the necessary components. The systemic research infrastructure—designed for electricity, heat, gases, and sector coupling—offers up to 540 kW of electrical power and 1,160 kW of cooling capacity and consists of four test stands tailored to different application fields:

• CO₂‑intensive industrial processes, such as cement production (gas and hydrogen burners)
• Hydrogen‑relevant components, including sensors, valves, fuel‑cell systems, and materials such as metals and plastics (wear, embrittlement, tightness)
• Energy storage using water tanks
• Hydrogen processes and systems

“With the new research center, we now stand at the forefront of hydrogen research in Austria. This gives us the opportunity to further expand our extensive scientific expertise and make it available directly to companies in Upper Austria. This explicitly includes the SME sector, which plays such a vital role in our region,” says FH‑Prof. DI Dr. Michael Rabl, MBA (TUM), President of FH Upper Austria.

Rabl also sees strong international relevance for the new center, which is therefore open to cross‑border collaborations. FH Upper Austria is already working with Sandia National Laboratories (U.S. Department of Energy) and Landshut University of Applied Sciences.

The mastermind behind the new research center—located at the premises of the municipal energy provider EWW—is FH‑Prof. PD DI Dr. Johann Kastner, Vice President for Research & Development at FH Upper Austria. “The new H₂ infrastructure enables us to support companies in efficiently using hydrogen for a variety of challenges. Industry interest is already very high; companies are actively approaching us. In addition to collaborative projects with companies, we will also play a significant role in specific areas of international hydrogen research,” Kastner emphasizes.
He adds: “Our focus is on applications—not on hydrogen production. We support companies and institutions in using climate‑neutral gases like green hydrogen or developing the necessary components. Another focus is the analysis of materials and components used for storing, measuring, and transporting hydrogen and other gases.”

The practical research and development activities are structured into four work packages that interested companies can connect to:

1. Thermal use of hydrogen to generate high temperatures
2. Interaction of hydrogen with materials and components
3. Use of hydrogen in the electrical grid for energy storage and balancing
4. Process engineering applications of hydrogen for CO₂‑intensive industries

Linking teaching and research for top‑level education
The research findings feed directly into curricula, enabling state‑of‑the‑art education. FH Upper Austria currently offers six energy‑focused degree programs:

• Applied Energy Engineering (Bachelor and Master, Wels)
• Electrical Engineering (Bachelor and Master, Wels)
• Sustainable Energy Systems (Master, Wels)
• Sustainable Solutions (Bachelor, Wels)

In addition, an international joint Master’s program, Digital Energy Solutions (DES)—in cooperation with JKU Linz—is in development. This English‑language program trains experts in the digital and sustainable transformation of energy systems. Students gain in‑depth knowledge in energy technology, digitalization, economics, and regulation and learn to develop innovative, sustainable solutions for the energy future.

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