The National Coordination Office Juelich for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells that is a part of Project Management Juelich (PtJ) was launched in September 2004 to serve as an interface of national, European and international hydrogen and fuel cell activities. It is currently being funded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (MWME NRW).

The NKJ assumes information and coordination tasks and thus contributes to the development of a national hydrogen and fuel cell strategy. The office supports the interests of the German government, Germany’s federal states, industry and research concerning the accelerated development and the market implementation of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. The start-up company “National Organisation Hydorgen and Fuel Cells Technology GmbH” (NOW Ltd.) got the mission to coordinate and implement the content of the "National Innovation Programme hydrogen and fuel cell technology". NKJ voted for the advisory board of NOW GmbH the secretariat function.

Project Management Juelich (PtJ) organises the project management of R&D support programmes and priorities on behalf of various public institutions. On behalf of the BMWi PtJ coordinates R&D support for new energy conversion technologies and technologies for efficient energy use. These include R&D projects in the field of hydrogen and fuel cells that are promising technologies for a sustainable energy supply. In addition to the application oriented R&D projects supported through the BMWi, other ministries at national or federal state level also carry out hydrogen and fuel cell programmes encompassing the whole array from basic research to market implementation.

In terms of European and international cooperation the option of a future hydrogen economy is a topical issue Germany actively participates in.

With its National Contact Point for Energy for the EU (NCP Energy) PtJ together with the EU Commission aims at a stronger and more efficient participation of German partners in the support programmes of the European Union concerning non-nuclear energies. Within the 6th Framework Programme NCP Energy serves as an adviser for the Sustainable Energy Systems (Priority 1.1.6.1) and the programme Intelligent Energy Europe.

The NKJ website provides information on the following matters:

Hydrogen and Fuel Cell RD&D at national level

Hydrogen and Fuel Cell RD&D at Federal State level

Hydrogen and Fuel Cell RD&D at European Level

Hydrogen and Fuel Cell RD&D at international Level

The Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Strategy Council

Hydrogen and Fuel Cell RD&D projects with German collaboration

Interesting links

The NKJ newsletter

More Links:

German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi)

Ministry of Economic Affairs of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (MWME NRW)

National Contact Point for Energy for the EU (NCP Energy)

Project Management Juelich