Filling Up with Hydrogen will be Possible Germany-Wide in Future
 H2 Mobility Joint Venture makes filling-up with hydrogen possible Germany-wide in future |
- H2 MOBILITY Deutschland becomes operative as a joint venture between six industrial partners
- Go-ahead for staged expansion of H2 filling stations in Germany
- Germany on the way to having the world’s first inter-regional H2 supply network
- Federal Minister of Transport Dobrindt gives prospect of further support
BERLIN -- Oct.
13, 2015: Six industrial companies - Air Liquide, Daimler, Linde, OMV,
Shell and Total - have formed a cross-sector joint venture, H2
MOBILITY Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG. The creation of the limited
partnership paves the way for a staged expansion of hydrogen
(H2) filling stations across Germany, which will bring the total
to around 400 by 2023. The Berlin-based company has started operations and
is working intensively in preparation for Stage One of the joint action
plan. This envisages the accelerated set-up of 100 filling stations over
the next few years. Senior representatives of the H2 MOBILITY
venture partners met today at launch talks held with Federal Minister of
Transport Alexander Dobrindt and discussed the next steps. The industry and
government partners have reinforced their commitment by signing a
memorandum of understanding on hydrogen filling stations for
Germany.
Federal Minister Dobrindt:
“E-mobility must be emotional and shall arouse passion for the drive
of the future. Electric vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells offer the
best conditions: You have a long range and can refuel in some minutes. For
the market ramp-up of this technology, we now need a comprehensive network
of fueling stations for hydrogen. Therefore, I welcome the plans of
H2 MOBILITY to build up 400 hydrogen fueling stations in Germany
by 2023."
The H2 MOBILITY
action plan envisages a Germany-wide network of H2 stations by
2023, which would make Germany the first country to offer an inter-regional
network where fuel cell vehicles (FCEVs) can fill up with hydrogen.
Therefore investments of around EUR 400 million in total are
planned.
As the industrial key player in
the expansion of H2 infrastructure in Germany, H2
MOBILITY and its Managing Director, Frank Sreball, are responsible for
building and operating a Germany-wide H2 filling station
network. The joint venture also forms an integral part of the research
project for the further development of hydrogen-powered mobility.
H2 MOBILITY is an international leader and has the potential to
lend impetus to other countries as they expand their hydrogen
infrastructure. For example, the company is a member of the recently formed
“Hydrogen Mobility Europe” network.
The joint venture partners have many years of experience in
the fields of electric mobility powered by fuel cells, refueling technology
and infrastructure build-up. The industrial partners have recently made
significant progress on standardization issues as well.
The first automotive manufacturers already have FCEVs in
production for the German market. Others are to follow.
The declared aim of the Federal Government is to make
Germany the leading market for sustainable mobility solutions and efficient
technology. Electric mobility with fuel cell-powered vehicles will help to
cut CO2 emissions significantly - especially when using hydrogen
from renewable energy sources, as FCEVs drive locally emission free. NOW
GmbH, the National Organization for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology, is
monitoring the achievement of this goal closely. The NOW is responsible for
the coordination of the programs under the auspices of the Federal Ministry
of Transport and Digital Infrastructure to promote battery and fuel
cell-powered mobility.
Numerous
associated partners support the activities of the H2 Mobility.
Via the H2 Mobility advisory, car manufacturers BMW, Volkswagen,
Honda and Toyota, as well as the technology company Intelligent Energy are
involved in the joint venture.
The
H2 Mobility is also in close partnership with the Clean Energy
Partnership* (CEP), the largest hydrogen mobility project in
Europe.
*CEP members: Air Liquide, BMW,
Daimler, EnBW, Ford, GM/Opel, Hamburger Hochbahn, Honda, Hyundai, Linde,
Shell, Siemens, Stuttgarter Straßenbahnen SSB, Total, Toyota, OMV,
Volkswagen and Westfalen Group