A number of major German businesses have called on their country's government to increase the support for fuel cell research, development and production in order to enable Germany to compete internationally in the burgeoning sector.

The newly founded BZB fuel cell alliance in Germany, representing no less than 300 German firms, including fuel cell pioneer Daimler Chrysler and Siemens, has claimed that German industry is on the brink of opening up production lines for the manufacture of stationary fuel cells.

Companies are also developing the technology for cars, households and portable gadgets and equipment, with Daimler Chrysler having already embarked on an ambitious fuel cell vehicle programme.

According to BZB Germany could create plants of a total capacity of 15 megawatts (MW) a year from 2006 if the industry received the correct style and degree of political support.

Political support could take the form of state grants, tax advantages and guaranteed rates for electricity produced by fuel cells, BZB said in a statement.

BZB pointed towards the likes of Japan and the US, who have invested particularly heavily in the technology, with Japan already estimating it will have some 50,000 fuel cell-powered vehicles by 2010.

"Fuel cells will definitely come. If they are not made in Germany, they will come to Germany. Politics and the industry need to work together on this issue," said Johannes Schiel of the VDMA engineering association, one initiator of the BZB.

Germany boasts the world's largest hydrogen refuelling station, providing enough hydrogen to fuel as many as 100 cars each day.

The country has been a keen advocate of the hydrogen economy, with Ford unveiling its new prototype hydrogen engine at the VDA's research conference in Stuttgart before an audience including Chancellor Schroder earlier this year.