German Design Award & National Environmental & Energy Technology Award -Fronius wins two prizes at once

German Design Award & National Environmental & Energy Technology Award Fronius wins two prizes at once Fronius International GmbH was recently honoured not only for the outstanding design of its products, but also for its pioneering services. The Fronius Ohmpilot, a clever consumption regulator that uses excess PV energy to heat water, and the Fronius SOLH2UB, the first green hydrogen filling station to be operated at an Austrian company, proved to be equally adept at winning the plaudits. “The Fronius Ohmpilot is not only a practical helper in the efficient use of solar energy – and thus an important building block for the vision of 24 hours of sun – but it is also a real design wonder,” explains Martin Hackl, the head of solar energy at Fronius International GmbH. The jury of the German Design Award 2019 agreed. Good design is not just about looking good – good design is the translation of complex technical functions into easy-to-use and easy-to-understand forms that are fit for the intended purpose. This is exactly what the Fronius design team led by product designer Martin Frittajon achieved with the Ohmpilot, which is why the top-class international jury of the German Design Award 2019 has recognised the outstanding product design of the Fronius Ohmpilot with a “special mention” in the Energy category. “The German Design Award is one of the most renowned and internationally recognised awards for product design. The 'special mention' for the Ohmpilot serves as confirmation that we are on the right track with our design philosophy, which is particularly pleasing,” says Martin Frittajon. “The simple, timeless design with the all-round bevel typical of our products communicates stability and longevity and underlines the high quality of the technology on the inside. The straightforward installation process with sufficient space for cabling and the simple, intuitive operation round off the overall concept.” As if that were not enough, Fronius was also awarded the Austrian National Environmental & Energy Technology Prize. Austrian National Prize for SOLH2UB In October, Fronius received the highest state award for pioneering achievements that contribute to sustainable environmental and climate protection. Austria’s first filling station for green hydrogen on a commercial premises – the Fronius SOLH2UB at the R&D centre in Thalheim near Wels (Upper Austria) – won the prize in the “Research & Development” category. “The SOLH2UB enables the sectors of electricity, heat and mobility to be linked together in an innovative fashion. This provides enormous benefits, especially where vehicles require large amounts of energy. We are convinced that hydrogen has the potential to become one of the energy carriers of the future and will be one of the key drivers of the energy revolution. It is a real honour that we’ve been awarded the National Prize for our new project,” says a delighted Martin Hackl.