“We cannot choose between either green or strong armed forces, we need strong and green at the same time”, said NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg during a speech in 2021. The second part of our whitepaper entitled “What You Need to Know about Green Defense” sheds light on the role climate change plays in Europe’s defense policy and which green defense technologies our armed forces are already relying on. An exclusive excerpt is available here:
The Green Transformation of the German Armed Forces
To achieve a climate-neutral government by 2030 and a climate-neutral German Armed Forces by 2045, Germany has launched a series of climate action initiatives. Despite relatively low carbon emissions per capita within the German Armed Forces compared to other countries, the need for a sustainable transformation is obvious, especially in light of the geopolitical tensions caused by the Ukraine conflict.
Germany’s Federal Ministry of Defense has made sustainability an integral part of its operational and structural planning. This is reflected in the German Armed Forces’ fifth sustainability report. A central aspect of the transformation is the integration of environmental protection measures in all areas and the inclusion of climate issues in security policy considerations.
As part of the “Green Barracks” project, the German Armed Forces are experimenting with renewable energies and alternative heating systems such as heat pumps and district heating in order to reduce their carbon footprint. The “Infrastructure” expert group is supporting these efforts by focusing on improving energy efficiency and selfsufficiency, including the electrical operation of military properties.
The German Armed Forces are also striving to replace fossil fuels with renewable alternatives in the area of mobility, both for use at home and on foreign missions. A “Mobility” expert group set up by the ministry identified areas of action back in 2019, including the development of an integral system architecture and research into synthetic fuels.
One aim is to increasingly supplement the energy supply of the deployment infrastructure, which to date has mainly been provided by fuel-powered generators, with renewable energy sources such as solar and wind energy. Changes in user behavior and technological innovations are also part of the strategy to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels. These efforts serve both to mitigate climate change and to ensure operational sustainability, whereby the mission requirements of the German Armed Forces are to take priority.
Total Emissions by Sector
In addition to the German Armed Forces’ properties at home and abroad, military mobility is a significant factor in overall emissions. The German Armed Forces’ sustainability report describes the operational profile as being characterized by energy-dense fuels, whereby the potential use of alternative drive systems under current military requirements remains limited. Direct electrification and gaseous energy sources such as hydrogen have been ruled out due to the high energy density required by the military. E-fuels – liquid, synthetic fuels from sustainable sources – are being considered as a potential alternative to fossil fuels. The production of e-fuels is still in its infancy, however, and requires significant investment and consumes a great deal of electrical energy. Furthermore, it is already foreseeable today that civil aviation, in particular, will be directly competing for every liter of production capacity for green e-fuels in the short term.
German Armed Forces’ Projects
- Use of renewable energy: The German Armed Forces operate several solar energy projects, such as the solar array on the grounds of the University of the German Armed Forces in Munich, which is one of the largest photovoltaic installations in Bavaria.
- Hybrid and electric vehicles in logistics: The German Armed Forces are increasingly integrating electric and hybrid vehicles into their non-tactical fleets in order to reduce carbon emissions and improve operational efficiency.
- Use of microgrid technologies: As part of the Smart Energy Networks initiative, which is part of the German Armed Forces’ armaments innovation program, research is being conducted into the use of microgrids to optimize the self-sufficient and efficient supply of energy during foreign missions.
- Energy efficiency in buildings and infrastructure: The German Armed Forces are aiming to reduce their buildings’ energy requirements through energyefficient modernization measures such as improved insulation, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, and lighting.
- Improved waste management and recycling: The German Armed Forces are implementing concepts to optimize waste separation and recycling, such as the waste separation system at the Baumholder military training area, as part of their environmental management activities.
- Development of biofuels and alternative fuels: In order to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and cut carbon emissions, the German Armed Forces are funding research projects into the use of alternative fuels, including biofuels.
- Modern gensets: Germany’s Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology, and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) engaged VINCORION to develop and produce advanced power generators and corresponding battery storage modules. These are due to be delivered in the 200 and 50 kilowatt power classes starting in 2026, following successful troop testing and pilot production.
You can download the full white paper here.
What You Need to Know about Green Defense
A significant achievement for the technology company from Wedel: VINCORION has been awarded a contract by Germany’s Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology, and In-Service Support for power supply systems for the German Armed Forces, and will deliver the corresponding prototypes and preproduction systems between now and the end of 2024.
The framework agreement with a total value of around 16 million euros encompasses both the development of state-of-the-art diesel generators that meet EU Stage V emissions standards and the supply of innovative power storage systems for a hybrid and particularly environmentally friendly energy supply.
Thanks to the new generation of military gensets from VINCORION, the German Armed Forces will reach the next level in electrical power supply, both in terms of tactical operational scope and environmental protection. What makes this contract notable is, on the one hand, the use of modern Stage V engines in the core military duty of providing a reliable power supply for the German Armed Forces’ worldwide missions. On the other hand, the deployment of power storage systems for hybrid or battery operation is new.
Emission Downgrade Technology for Reliable Operational Readiness
A Stage V genset from VINCORION can be powered by common NATO fuels as well as operated in parallel and in conjunction with multiple systems. The key innovation lies in the system’s emission downgrade technology. It makes it possible, for example, to generate electricity with low-grade fuels during foreign missions such as in Mali. This ensures that the genset, and therefore the German Armed Forces, can operate safely and reliably worldwide.
In the coming months, VINCORION will develop not only the Stage V gensets for the German Armed Forces, but also the appropriate power storage modules, each with outputs of 50 kilowatts and 200 kilowatts, respectively. The modules will be delivered in a compact and rugged package – in ISO container formats of 10 feet or 20 feet. This makes it possible to relocate and use them quickly. The power storage modules ordered by the German Armed Forces will also be equipped with an optional 8 or 16 kW solar power system. Both systems will be developed and manufactured at VINCORION’s site in the Bavarian town of Altenstadt.
Hybrid Future with Stage V, Storage Modules, and Renewable Energy Sources
Continuity and mission fulfillment on all fronts – the German Armed Forces already added environmental protection to their mandate over 50 years ago. As a governmental organization, it has a special obligation to comply with environmental law and the German government’s environmental policy directives. The flexible combination of gensets and power storage units of different power classes as well as the integration of renewable energy sources or the public grids available on site supports this objective; after all, it makes efficient power management possible with low fuel consumption and a high level of reliability. “We are delighted that our decades of experience in military generators, power electronics, and power management make all the difference. From our point of view, the Bundeswehr is setting standards when it comes to the sustainability of armed forces with these cutting-edge power systems,” commented Dr. Stefan Stenzel, Managing Director of VINCORION.
Key Advantages: Long-Term Spare Parts Supply and Deep Vertical Integration
Whether in Mali, the Sahara, or other crisis situations, the German Armed Forces expect a reliable power supply today and in the future. In addition to environmental protection aspects, obsolescence management, i.e., the timely replacement of parts during the many years of operation that will no longer be manufactured in the future, was an important criterion in the decision to opt for VINCORION. The technology company relies on a high degree of vertical integration and guarantees that future capabilities will be incorporated into its systems. As such, VINCORION deploys proprietary software and controllers in its gensets and power storage modules. This represents a real advantage in times of global supply bottlenecks.
Media Contact:
Petra Klähn
Head of Communications & Marketing
VINCORION Advanced Systems GmbH
Feldstrasse 155
22880 Wedel, Germany
Phone: +49 4103 60-5947
Mail: petra.klaehn@vincorion.com
About VINCORION
VINCORION is a technology company that specializes in innovative power systems for safety-critical applications, including generators, electric motors, and drives, gensets, power electronics, and hybrid power systems.
As a partner to the civil aviation, security and defense, and rail industries, VINCORION develops and manufactures solutions tailored to its customers’ specific requirements on the basis of an in-depth dialog. A high-performance customer support team provides assistance and service to users of the company’s own products and those from third parties throughout the entire product life cycle.
With approximately 700 employees at sites in Germany, and the United States, VINCORION generated revenues of approximately 145 million euros in 2021.
For more information, visit our website www.vincorion.com sowie auf Twitter und LinkedIn.
A successful partnership: VINCORION & SFC present prototype at German Defense Technology Association (DWT) expert forum in Bonn after two years of collaboration.
Almost exactly two years ago to the day, at a DWT symposium, VINCORION and fuel cell specialist SFC Energy agreed on their first joint project. At the time, the stated goal was a robust and powerful energy system (VINCORION) with self-sufficient and portable methanol fuel cell (SFC).
The duo kept their word – and delivered. The Portable Power Management Modules, or PPM modularv for short, are the powerful result of their collaboration, and the companies are now showcasing them with a SFC methanol fuel cell. This is taking place in Bonn, of course, and once again at a DWT event that is currently being held in the former German capital. The product – a portable power supply for mobile emergency personnel – will be shown to the general public for the first time in the city on the Rhine. As a result, the two specialists are demonstrating exactly what they offer in compact form – operational readiness, flexibility, and mobility.
PPM modularv – Tailored Configurability
The PPM modularv, a mobile power system that can be configured to suit any application, was developed in less than two years thanks to its various portable modules: input, output, and storage. The three parts are flexible and can use – in addition to the fuel cell – any power source (AC/DC), such as available car batteries, old diesel generators, unstable local grids, or small solar power systems. Alternatively, the necessary independence can be achieved through the use of the system’s scalable storage modules. And the variable output module can be used to connect to a range of electrical consumers with a peak load of up to 10 kilowatts. This makes it suitable for particularly demanding missions ranging from disaster control to special military operations.
The PPM modularv is particularly effective in hybrid operation with the modern SFC fuel cell. The field-proven methanol fuel cell generates 12 kW of electrical power per day and emits hardly any noise, no harmful exhaust gases, and hardly any heat. The decisive advantage is the self-sufficient energy supply based on SFC methanol fuel cartridges. Depending on the size of the SFC fuel cartridges, which have a NATO supply number for years, forces can work independently for days.
Sustainable, Independent Power Supply
Professor Karsten Pinkwart describes the problem of supplying power during times of crisis or in conflict regions as follows: “How can we set up a resilient energy supply? How can we further split up our energy supply? For example, what we are experiencing today with the war in Ukraine.” Pinkwart conducts research at the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology on batteries and fuel cells, among other topics, and advises the Federal Government and the Bundeswehr in various committees. The scientist thinks further: “What will the energy supply of my energy systems look like in the future?”
To this end, there is apparently a good guiding radar on the Rhine, because at the time of the announcement of the partnership, the DWT still named its symposium “Future Energy Supply.” Today, in the midst of Germany’s Zeitenwende (i.e., the government ushering in a new era in the defense sector), the conference is named “Sustainable Energy Sources for Military Mobility and Infrastructure.” And that is why the partners are appearing side by side at the DWT event. They have taken a first step into the future. The PPM modularv is their business card. And a particularly sustainable contribution. Both companies – VINCORION and SFC Energy – are ready to actively shape the energy transition, even beyond the scope of their current partnership.
Team VINCORION:
Helmar Burkhardt – Sales Manager
Christian Böhm – Senior Vice President Sales
Lukas Joos – Sales Project Manager
Daniel Zeitler – Director Product Management
Media Contact:
Petra Klähn
Head of Communications & Marketing
VINCORION Advanced Systems GmbH
Feldstrasse 155
22880 Wedel, Germany
Phone: +49 4103 60-5947
Mail: petra.klaehn@vincorion.com
About SFC Energy AG
SFC Energy AG (www.sfc.com) is a leading provider of hydrogen and direct methanol fuel cells for stationary and mobile hybrid power solutions. With the Clean Energy and Clean Power Management business segments, SFC Energy is a sustainably profitable fuel cell producer.
The Company distributes its award-winning products worldwide and has sold more than 55,000 fuel cells to date. The Company is headquartered in Brunnthal/Munich, Germany, operates production facilities in the Netherlands, Romania, and Canada. SFC Energy AG is listed on the Deutsche Boerse Prime Standard (GSIN: 756857 ISIN: DE0007568578).
About VINCORION
VINCORION is a technology company that specializes in innovative power systems for safety-critical applications, including generators, electric motors, and drives, gensets, power electronics, and hybrid power systems.
As a partner to the civil aviation, security and defense, and rail industries, VINCORION develops and manufactures solutions tailored to its customers’ specific requirements on the basis of an in-depth dialog. A high-performance customer support team provides assistance and service to users of the company’s own products and those from third parties throughout the entire product life cycle.
With approximately 700 employees at sites in Germany, and the United States, VINCORION generated revenues of approximately 145 million euros in 2021.
For more information, visit our website www.vincorion.com sowie auf Twitter und LinkedIn.
Since the invasion of Ukraine, Germany and the European Union have faced a tangible threat right in their own backyard. We’ve all been feeling the effects on our daily lives, on the economy, culture, and society at large for quite some time now. The events marked a turning point in the discussion about the German Armed Forces’ role and equipment and have forced us to take a critical look our own defense capabilities. Just a few months ago, investments were considered unsustainable, even socially detrimental.
Immediate Readiness
Like the entire defense industry, we believe it is our job is to equip the German Armed Forces as well as NATO and EU member states with high-performance equipment – both in the short term and within the scope of long-planned procurement projects such as the Heavy Transport Helicopter, the Eurofighter, Puma, Leopard 2, and Boxer. It’s obvious that more is needed to achieve this than just a few new screws on the old equipment – low-emission, hybrid technologies are critical to the German Armed Forces’ future viability.
Energy Efficiency along the Entire Production Chain
At VINCORION’s German sites in Wedel, Altenstadt, and Essen, we are hard at work enshrining the concept of sustainability throughout the entire cycle – from supply chains and low-emission manufacturing techniques to designing efficient and resource-friendly power solutions for civilian and military applications. VINCORION has been developing tailored power management and propulsion system solutions for civil and military applications and vehicles in the air, on land, and in the water for more than six decades. We intend to use this expertise to help create the technologies of tomorrow – and the green military or green defense.
Tactical Superiority
Our hybrid power systems are among the solutions that can improve the military’s “carbon bootprint.” They optimize efficiency in military platforms’ power management, directly reducing greenhouse gas emissions as a result. In field camp or air defense systems, the self-sufficient, adaptable, and hybrid power architecture also becomes a tactical advantage, cutting fuel consumption by up to half, halving downtime, and guaranteeing a fourfold increase in fail-safety. In addition, the power systems are designed to support the integration of self-sufficient fuel cell technology and other sustainable energy sources.
This potential can also clearly be seen in the tactical supply of power to military infrastructures. Our newly developed gensets with Stage V engines guarantee low-emission operation with state-of-the-art AdBlue exhaust gas aftertreatment. And yet military fuel can also be used by means of an “emission downgrade.” In this context, these cutting-edge power systems are optimized in such a way that retrofitting them in the field is quick and easy, both in terms of hardware and software.
The use of maintenance-friendly components and modular systems that can be replaced and upgraded with flexibility is a major advantage in terms of development speed and total cost of ownership. Developers and users have already gained valuable experience with the gun turret and weapon stabilization system in the Leopard 2.
Challenge and Support
Resource-friendly and sustainable defense technologies are already ready for use in a very practical way. For this trend to continue, the defense industry must be able to invest – both with confidence and for the long term. This is an important point, which is why it has also found its way into the discussion on the EU taxonomy.
Mechatronics manufacturer VINCORION and fuel cell specialist SFC Energy will soon begin working together to develop state-of-the-art energy solutions with hybrid storage systems. The goal of the collaboration is to integrate fuel cells by SFC Energy into VINCORION’s energy management systems, thereby adding a reliable and powerful component to the energy mix.
The first joint project between the two companies will be the integration of SFC Energy’s EFOY Pro 12000 Duo – a 500W methanol fuel cell – into VINCORION’s P2M2 (Portable Power Management Module) energy management system. This was announced by both companies at the signing of the partnership agreement during the DWT conference “The Future Energy Supply for Mobile Systems used by the German Armed Forces” on September 9, 2020, in Bonn, Germany.
Methanol Fuel Cells: Quiet and Extremely Efficient
The P2M2 portable energy management system for peak loads of up to 15 kW opens up a particularly high degree of flexibility thanks to its modular design. The system is capable of using all energy sources currently available, from conventional diesel gensets to existing power grids to renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic systems. It can be extended by adding multiple storage modules as required and can be variably connected to a wide variety of output modules depending on the application.
SFC is the market leader in the methanol fuel cell segment and will initially integrate the EFOY Pro 12000 Duo, the company’s most powerful fuel cell to date, into VINCORION’s P²M² system. This means that in addition to the compact energy storage and management modules, users now have another option available for supplying and charging electrical consumers while out in the field. Like every P²M² module, the fuel cell will be portable and can be used in harsh environmental conditions. With no harmful exhaust fumes and thanks to its virtually silent and maintenance-free operation, it is the perfect solution for difficult operating conditions.
Strategic Collaboration
“We believe that fuel cells are a valuable addition to the available range of power supplies for our energy solutions, and enable us to offer our partners and customers significant additional value over comparable solutions,” said Stefan Stenzel, CEO of JENOPTIK Advanced Systems GmbH. “At the same time, we are delighted to have acquired SFC Energy as a strategic partner with whom we can also enter into new market segments over the medium term.”
“The demands placed on off-grid power supplies continue to grow. VINCORION and SFC Energy are working together with the P2M2 module to create a system that will meet these increasing needs in a reliable, flexible, and environmentally friendly manner. This is how users will benefit from sustainable energy supply solutions made in Germany,” said Peter Podesser, CEO of SFC Energy AG.
SFC Energy AG is a leading international supplier of stationary and mobile hybrid power supply solutions for civil and military applications with locations in Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, Canada, and the United States. The company has already sold more than 45,000 fuel cells worldwide.
About VINCORION
VINCORION is a brand of the technology group Jenoptik that focuses on mechatronic solutions and products and related services.
VINCORION can look back at 60 years of successful business history as a supplier to the aviation, defense and security technology, and railway industries. Based on its own product platforms, VINCORION develops and produces tailored solutions that meet the specific requirements of its customers.
Its portfolio includes individual assemblies that customers can integrate into their end products, as well as complete systems and end products. Its areas of expertise are energy and drive systems, stabilization systems, and aviation systems. VINCORION’s competent customer support team offers support and service throughout the many years of use of its own products and those of third parties.
Employing roughly 760 people at sites in Germany, the USA, Japan, and South Korea, VINCORION generated approximately 165 million euros in revenue in 2019.
About SFC Energy AG
SFC Energy AG is a leading provider of hydrogen and direct methanol fuel cells for stationary and mobile hybrid power solutions. With more than 45,000 fuel cells sold worldwide, SFC Energy is a sustainably profitable fuel cell producer.
The company has award-winning products and serves a range of applications in Clean Energy & Mobility, Defense & Security, Oil & Gas and Industry markets.
The company is headquartered in Brunnthal/Munich, Germany, operates production facilities in the Netherlands, Romania, and Canada. SFC Energy AG is listed on the Deutsche Boerse Prime Standard (GSIN: 756857, ISIN: DE0007568578).