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.

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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

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 modular^v 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 modular^v – Tailored Configurability

The PPM modular^v, 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 modular^v 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 modular^v 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.

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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