Early SOFC stack in the year 2004

History

SOFC technology development commenced in Dresden in 1992. Since this time, a research team at the Fraunhofer IKTS has advanced SOFC development with various partners, by changing key project elements until complete stacks could be built.

 

APU prototype Webasto AG 2005

Since 2000, Webasto has been working on concepts for an engine-independent onboard power supply via an APU. After Webasto had identified the SOFC technology as the optimum approach, a broad scale development program was started in Neubrandenburg in 2002.

As no SOFC stack supplier was able to fulfill technical and automotive business requirements, Webasto development engineers started to work on SOFC stacks from scratch. IKTS was subsequently integrated into the project as a cooperation partner.

In 2004 the world’s first diesel fueled SOFC system was realized in the Webasto labs and demonstrated at Hannover fair 2005.

 

Cells from the InDEC product portfolio

Concurrently, H.C. Starck GmbH commenced developing specialist SOFC fuel cell powders in the year 2000.

In the year 2003 the complete technology for the production of SOFC cells was acquired by the takeover of InDEC B.V.

The volume production of SOFC cells and other fuel cell components is today running  at the H.C. Starck Ceramics location in Selb.

 

Since Summer 2003 Webasto AG and H.C. Starck GmbH have joined forces with Fraunhofer IKTS to develop SOFC Stacks. After the demonstration of stack performance in the Webasto SOFC system negotiations to found a joint venture for industrialization of the technology started.

 

Foundation ceremony staxera 28. June 2005

Webasto AG and H.C. Starck GmbH founded staxera GmbH in May 2005.

Between 2005 and 2007 staxera was located as spin-in at Fraunhofer IKTS in the Fraunhofer Institutszentrum campus in Dresden. During these years staxera grew from 5 employees in the beginning to 18 people.

staxera has been supplying SOFC stacks to customers since 2006.

 

Official opening 24. January 2008

On January, 24 2008 staxera GmbH inaugurated it's R&D and production centre in Gasanstaltstrasse 2. The site is in walking distance to the Fraunhofer campus in Dresden’s future “Matpolis” business park.

The first stage includes Labs and offices for 35 people, a complex gas supply and safety infrastructure as well as a 500m2 production and test hall.

Substantial further growth can be realized within a short timeframe.

 

Since 2009-11-01 staxera GmbH is a wholly owned independent companie under the umbrella of Webasto AG.

Agreements with H.C. Starck about supply and development of SOFC cells remain in place.