PLASTIC OMNIUM NEW ENERGIES FRIBOURG SA

Their core work

Plastic Omnium New Energies Fribourg (operating as Swiss Hydrogen) develops hydrogen storage and fuel cell integration solutions for heavy-duty and off-grid applications. As the Swiss hydrogen division of the Plastic Omnium group, they contribute pressurized hydrogen storage systems and containerized fuel cell gensets to EU-funded demonstration projects. Their work spans marine vessels, refuse collection trucks, and portable power units for urban deployment — consistently focused on making hydrogen technology practical and deployable in demanding real-world conditions.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

With all three projects starting between 2017 and 2018, evolution within H2020 is limited. However, the portfolio shows a deliberate expansion from a single marine fuel cell application (MARANDA) to urban hydrogen infrastructure (EVERYWH2ERE) and heavy-duty road transport (REVIVE), indicating a broadening of hydrogen deployment contexts. The trajectory suggests a company moving from niche validation projects toward wider commercial hydrogen applications across transport and distributed energy.

Moving toward practical, deployable hydrogen solutions for urban logistics and distributed power — likely positioning for commercial-scale hydrogen infrastructure projects.

How they like to work

Always participates as a partner, never as coordinator, suggesting they contribute specialized hydrogen storage and integration expertise to larger consortia. With 40 unique partners across 9 countries from just 3 projects, they operate in large, diverse consortia typical of FCH JU demonstration projects. This profile indicates a reliable technical contributor that brings specific industrial capability rather than project leadership.

Connected to 40 unique partners across 9 countries through three large demonstration consortia, giving them a broad European network in the hydrogen and fuel cell community. Their reach is pan-European, consistent with FCH Joint Undertaking project structures.

What sets them apart

As a subsidiary of the Plastic Omnium automotive group operating from Switzerland, they bridge large-scale industrial manufacturing capability with specialized hydrogen expertise — a combination few hydrogen companies can offer. Their participation across marine, road transport, and stationary power projects demonstrates versatility in adapting hydrogen storage and fuel cell integration to very different deployment environments. For consortium builders, they bring both the technical depth of a hydrogen specialist and the industrial credibility of a major automotive supplier.

Highlights from their portfolio

• EVERYWH2ERE
  Received the largest share of their EC funding (EUR 18,920) and focused on making hydrogen gensets affordable and deployable across European cities — their most commercially oriented project.
• MARANDA
  Tackled the demanding challenge of fuel cell powertrains for marine vessels in arctic conditions, demonstrating hydrogen viability in extreme environments.
• REVIVE
  Addressed zero-emission heavy-duty refuse vehicles across Europe, directly targeting urban air quality — a high-visibility application for hydrogen technology.