A petrol station on the Hermann-Wandersleb-Ring in Endenich now offers drivers with a hydrogen pump as an additional selection. To date, there are 18 hydrogen filling stations in NRW.
With a tank of fuel straight to Stuttgart and back? With hydrogen (H 2 ) as fuel and a corresponding fuel cell vehicle, this should not be a problem. Bonner can now use a new option for “H 2 refueling” in Endsich. Because the Shell petrol station there now also offers hydrogen.
The new offer comes from a partnership with H 2 Mobility. The Berlin-based company is committed to supplying hydrogen in Germany with hydrogen nationwide in the future. “Hydrogen will make a significant contribution to reducing emissions in traffic,” explains Sybille Riepe. The spokeswoman for the company adds that H 2 should offer an emission-free alternative, especially for larger types of vehicles such as SUVs, vans, and trucks, but also in public transport for buses and trains: “H 2 is particularly useful as a fuel for driving profiles with a Range from 250 kilometers. ”
In contrast to gasoline or diesel, hydrogen is not sold in liters but by weight. At 9.50 euros per kilogram, the price does not differ significantly from fuel for an average petrol engine with consumption of seven liters.<
“A fuel cell vehicle consumes about one kilogram of hydrogen per 100 kilometers.” According to Riepe, in order for hydrogen to become cheaper, legal framework conditions would have to be relaxed and taxes on the state incurred in hydrogen production would also have to be reduced. They are still “unnecessarily expensive”. “That has to change urgently because, without hydrogen, the energy transition cannot be achieved,” says Riepe – also because H 2 can store and transport energy “in long-term and in sufficient quantities”.
Shell also sees advantages in driving with fuel cell technology. The mineral oil and natural gas company support H2 Mobility’s plans: “The hydrogen network will be significantly expanded in the next few years. We are now building the hydrogen filling stations so that more vehicles can come onto the market in the next few years, ”says company spokesman Axel Pommeränke. The fuel pumps will then form a nationwide network in Germany and North-West Europe, the spokesman said.
So far there are 84 hydrogen filling stations in Germany. The number is expected to increase to 100 this year. NRW is the frontrunner among the federal states with 18 petrol stations. H 2 columns can be controlled in Cologne, Düsseldorf, Aachen, Mönchengladbach, Leverkusen, Wuppertal, and Essen. “Wesseling and Dortmund will follow this year,” said Pommeränke.
With around 705 fuel cell cars and 23 buses, demand has so far been limited. Sybille Riepe still expects an increase: “We expect the number of registrations to ramp up once the first 100 petrol stations have been completed.” The consumer should then be able to reach the nearest petrol station in short distances. So far, only the car manufacturers Daimler, Toyota, and Hyundai have offered the technology. BMW and Audi are to follow. For Riepe, however, a changeover makes sense: “Hydrogen enables driving like today, fueling for four minutes for ranges of up to 700 kilometers – just quietly and without emissions,” explains the spokeswoman.
However, there are a number of things to consider when refueling: “If you want to fill up with hydrogen in Germany, you need the H 2 .LIVE / CARD, which we also offer digitally,” explains Riepe. In addition, a tight connection must be ensured when refueling, since H 2 is filled with gas. After the column has been activated, the consumer has to lock the tap. Only then can refueling start. When the tank is full, the process stops automatically.
This works quite well in daily use, as motorist Widger Falk explains. The Cologne native has been using hydrogen for four years and has had no problems so far. However, he had to get used to planning his routes in advance. “The infrastructure is only under construction and you are used to being able to fill up every ten kilometers, that is no longer possible.” With the long-distance that cars can travel with H 2 , this is not a problem. “You can drive up to 700 kilometers,” says the driver.
The Stadtwerke Bonn is also interested in hydrogen as an emission-free solution, as spokeswoman Veronika John reports. “The hydrogen issue is multi-layered and affects our main business areas, ie energy, and public transport. We are examining the possible uses of hydrogen.”
Source: general-anzeiger-bonn
Read the most up to date Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Industry news at FuelCellsWorks
