On the Hydrogen Highway to the Artificial Sun

Future energies in focus: from nuclear fusion and hydrogen to novel storage technologies—the search for tomorrow’s energy solutions is on.

Fusion is the energy source of the sun and stars. The aim of fusion research is to generate power by fusing atomic nuclei inside a reactor. It’s the dream of an inexhaustible energy source. An “artificial sun” on Earth could solve many of our energy problems at once. But where do we stand today? Hydrogen is also at the center of current debates. We take a closer look at future “hydrogen highways” and side routes in Central Germany. How much green hydrogen can the region itself produce—and how great is the demand? And what about storage technologies and the next generation of batteries, which will be critical for the energy transition?

Supported by BMFTR: Wissenschaftsjahr 2025 – Future Energy

Guests:
Prof. Dr. Philipp Adelhelm, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin & Humboldt University of Berlin
Prof. Dr. Ursel Fantz, Head of ITER Technology and Diagnostics Division, Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics
Jörn-Heinrich Tobaben, CEO, Central German Metropolitan Region

Moderation: Ralf Krauter, physicist, science journalist, and host of Forschung aktuell (Deutschlandfunk)