Sector coupling is progressing in Schleswig-Holstein: with the official opening of the first hydrogen filling station for private cars, trucks and local public transport in Niebüll. A second will follow in Husum in September, announced initiator GP Joule. The hydrogen is produced regionally and climate-neutrally in the eFarm project.
A total of 20 shareholders from the north are involved in the joint eFarm project. The energy for hydrogen generation comes from wind farms in the north of Schleswig-Holstein, where electrolysers use wind power to generate climate-neutral hydrogen. This is sold at the two public filling stations in Niebüll and Husum. The local connection of generation and consumption as well as the coupling of the electricity, mobility and heating sectors are the basic ideas of eFarm, according to a press release.
1,200,000 liters of diesel will be replaced
“From now on we will be producing and selling, among other things, fuel for mobility in North Frisia from renewable energies. As far as I know, this has never happened before. With eFarm we can already replace around 1,200,000 liters of diesel per year and multiply this in the next few years, ”said Ove Petersen, CEO of the GP Joule Group, explaining the importance of the eFarm project. What is needed now are incentive systems that truck and bus companies can use to invest in vehicles. According to GP Joule, it is currently the largest hydrogen mobility project of its kind in Germany.
Two hydrogen-powered fuel cell buses have been in service in North Friesland since May. They offer space for up to 39 seated and 35 standing passengers. According to GP Joule, a full tank of fuel for a fuel cell car costs around 50 euros and is enough for up to 600 kilometers. In addition to the buses, company and private vehicles should also be able to refuel with hydrogen in Niebüll and Husum. The filling stations are equally suitable for cars and commercial vehicles.
Billing takes place via fuel card
“Refueling with hydrogen is just as easy as with conventional fuels – after four to five minutes you are ready and can continue driving,” said André Steinau, managing director of the project company eFarming GmbH & Co. KG. Billing is conveniently carried out using a special fuel card with a PIN. Around thirty fuel cell cars are part of the EFarm project. But green hydrogen is already attracting other interested parties. “Private individuals and businesses from the project environment have announced that they will convert around 100 more cars to hydrogen. Many of them are already on the roads of North Friesland, ”added André Steinau.
According to the company, the joint hydrogen project eFarm is currently the largest green hydrogen mobility project in Germany. It received the German Renewables Award in September 2020 because it combines regional renewable energy generation and local consumption. This award is presented by the Renewable Energies Hamburg Cluster for outstanding innovations and personal commitment to renewable energies.
Heat from the electrolysers is used to heat the building
20 regional shareholders are involved in eFarm, including community wind and solar parks and municipal utilities . It is important to the actors that the valuable wind power is used efficiently: In electrolysis, only part of the energy can be converted into hydrogen, the rest is converted into heat. However, this is not lost in the eFarm project, but is used to heat buildings. In total, 95 percent of the energy used in the form of wind power is used. Among other things, eFarm was funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport with 8.8 million euros.
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