Federal minister for economic affairs visits Bosch in Renningen

Stuttgart/Renningen – Stefan Hartung, chairman of the Bosch board of management, welcomed Robert Habeck, federal minister for economic affairs and climate action, to the Bosch research campus in Renningen, where they were joined by Baden-Württemberg Minister-President Winfried Kretschmann, Baden-Württemberg Minister of the Environment Thekla Walker, and Bavaria State Minister Melanie Huml. Habeck visited Renningen as part of his summer tour. His visit focused on transformation in the automotive industry and the energy transition.

Habeck also took the opportunity to present a certificate confirming funding of just under 161 million euros for the IPCEI hydrogen project Bosch Power Units for the initial commercialization of stationary fuel cell systems. Bosch believes the highly efficient solid-oxide fuel cells are essential to sustainable energy supply.

Funding for large-scale production

“Germany is a strong location with strong companies that are ready to tackle and master the transformation,” Habeck said in Renningen. “The funding for the large-scale production of Bosch stationary fuel cell systems, as part of a common European hydrogen project in close cooperation with federal and state authorities, shows how business and political leaders, innovations, and their funding go hand in hand on the road to climate neutrality. A highly innovative key technology for ramping up the use of hydrogen can now go into production in Germany.”

Fuel cells have the potential to significantly reduce carbon, as they generate electricity and water from hydrogen. Because the end product is water, rather than CO₂, this technology can contribute to a more sustainable future.

“Going forward, supplying the country with hydrogen from renewable energies will be indispensable to achieving the climate targets,” Kretschmann said in Renningen. “The fact that Bosch is now the first major European company to be able to enter into large-scale production of highly efficient solid-oxide fuel cells thanks to the funding granted by the German government is something we are extremely pleased about and fits in wonderfully with our hydrogen road map,” he continued.

Hartung added: “The example of stationary fuel cells shows that the research environment here in Germany is excellent. Research and development have always been a top priority for Bosch. Every year, we invest some 7 billion euros in technologies of the future.”

Artificial intelligence and automated driving

As they explored the campus, Hartung gave the guests an insight into two of Bosch’s fields of research. In robotics, the company’s experts are looking into a variety of topics, including ways to automate the coordination of deliveries at warehouses using artificial intelligence. Doing so saves time and money, and improves the efficiency of operations at large warehouses. In Mobility, Habeck and Kretschmann were brought up to speed on the latest research into automated driving. The main focus here is on AI-assisted solutions that help the vehicle to navigate its surroundings.

Bosch employs over 85,000 associates in research and development around the world.