(Düsseldorf, Germany) – US industrial gas supplier Air Products and Chemicals Inc. will build two publicly accessible, low-carbon hydrogen refueling stations (HRS) in Duisburg and Meckenheim. The two planned facilities are located near Air Products' current German headquarters in Hattingen. The company will build, own, and operate both stations.
Air Products receives funding from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (from left): Jörg Hömberg (Managing Director of Air Products GmbH), Mona Neubaur (Minister of Economic Affairs), Kathryn Wunderle (Business Development Manager Hydrogen for Mobility, Air Products GmbH) © MWIKE NRW
Medium and heavy class vehicles could then refuel there. In Germany, these two new gas stations will join the one already announced in Hürth-Knapsack. The company wants to build a European network that supplies high-performance and long-haul vehicles from emission-free fleets.
The filling stations are supplied with hydrogen from our own production. Air Products has practical operational experience with more than 250 hydrogen fueling station projects in 20 countries, with the company's technologies deployed in over 1,5 million fueling stations annually. The company is also planning to build large production plants for green hydrogen across Europe.
11.000 fuel cell trucks by 2030
The stations are financed as part of the hydrogen roadmap of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). The state wants to convert heavy commercial vehicles in particular to emission-free hydrogen drives and see around 2030 fuel cell trucks on the region's roads by 11.000, as well as 3.800 fuel cell buses for local public transport.
The basic requirement for this is a comprehensive network of refueling infrastructure, according to the Ministry of Economics, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy (MWIKE). The state government is therefore now supporting the construction of additional public hydrogen filling stations.
20 million euros in funding from the state
As part of a funding call last autumn, 16 project applications were received. In addition to Air Liquide's project, an application from Eon Hydrogen GmbH for a hydrogen filling station in Essen, H2 Mobility Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG wants to install a station in Bielefeld, Krimphoff & Schulte GmbH another in Rheine and Mint Hydrogen Germany were approved GmbH is planning hydrogen filling stations in Hagen and Lippstadt. The companies will receive a cumulative total of 20 million euros. There is no detailed breakdown of which project will receive how much funding.
According to the ministry, there are currently eight hydrogen filling stations for heavy commercial vehicles in North Rhine-Westphalia. With the new funding, the number will almost double. The country's goal is to have around 2030 hydrogen filling stations available by 200.
Photos
Air Products wants to build a European network of hydrogen filling stations for long-haul vehicles. © Air Products Inc.
