HZG - Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht Centre for Materials and Coastal Research GmbH

The Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht GmbH (HZG) ), located near the town of Geesthacht, Germany, belongs to the German Hermann von Helmholtz Association (HGF). HZG is located at Geesthacht near Hamburg and has a branch in Teltow near Berlin with a total staff of approximately 850 employees, including about 420 scientists, engineers and technicians. The three main HZG research areas cover materials science, environmental research and regenerative medicine. One of the core research topics at HZG are materials for hydrogen technology, covering production, purification and conditioning of hydrogen and hydrogen storage.

In the field of hydrogen production, HZG focuses on low cost production via photoelectrochemical routes for direct water splitting with sun light and low cost production of catalytic surfaces (in collaboration with Helmut-Schmidt-University, Hamburg).

Hydrogen separation from gas streams, drying and purification is achieved by low energy consuming membrane based technologies (development of membrane materials as well as membrane modules).

In the field of hydrogen storage in lightweight metal hydrides and development of tanks based on these, HZG has more than 16 years research experience in nanocrystalline light metal hydrides (more than 120 publications, 8 patents, 4 patent applications pending).