(Munich) - In 2020, 107 new hydrogen filling stations were opened worldwide - more than ever before. At the end of last year, there were 553 hydrogen filling stations in operation worldwide, with seven more added in the first few weeks of this year. There are concrete plans for 225 locations. This is the result of the annual evaluation by Ludwig-Bölkow-Systemtechnik (LBST) on its website “H2stations.org”.
Europe has 200 hydrogen filling stations
At the end of the year, Europe had 200 gas stations, 29 of which were opened last year. There are a total of 100 stations in Germany (14 new). France is in second place with 34 gas stations and, with 38, is expected to have the highest expansion in the near future. However, the focus there is on refueling buses and delivery vehicles and less on publicly accessible car filling stations like in other European countries. A significant increase in refueling options is also expected in the Netherlands, where the number of planned filling stations has increased to 23. The ninth gas station was recently opened in Switzerland.
A total of 2020 new gas stations were added in Asia in 72, with a total of 275 gas stations in operation there: 142 are in Japan (28 new) and 60 in Korea (26 new). The 69 Chinese gas stations recorded are used almost exclusively to refuel buses or trucks; 18 were added last year.
49 gas stations in California
Of the 75 gas stations in North America, the majority are still located in California (49). Four new gas stations went into operation there in 2020, bringing the total to six in North America. A further 43 petrol stations are being planned.
A gas station planned in Africa
According to LBST, for the first time Africa is now represented in the statistics - at least geographically - through plans to build a hydrogen filling station on the island of Tenerife.
The website “www.H2stations.org” offers information on interactive maps about all hydrogen filling stations in operation, planned and decommissioned worldwide. The underlying database has been maintained since 2005 and is continuously updated. It contains detailed information on almost 1.300 gas stations worldwide.
Ludwig-Bölkow-Systemtechnik GmbH is a consulting company for sustainable energy supply and mobility. TÜV Süd holds shares in LBST.
deep link
www.H2stations.org
https://www.tuvsud.com/de-de/presse-und-medien/2021/februar/rekordzahl-neu-eroeffneter-wasserstoff-tankstellen-im-jahr-2020
Photo above
Hydrogen filling stations worldwide / © Ludwig-Bölkow-Systemtechnik GmbH
Photo middle
Gas station corridor in Europe: The blue circles show a radius of 250 kilometers around a location / © Ludwig-Bölkow-Systemtechnik GmbH
If the French don't strive to rapidly develop a network of hydrogen stations as in Germany, then I fear that the future of fuel cell cars is bleak indeed. For what is the point for a German to have a hydrogen car, if he can't travel to France or Italy. As a French, and I regret to admit this, we are very gifted for talking, but inept at doing something.