The transport transition is a central component of the German climate protection strategy. As part of this, hydrogen is seen as a key energy source, especially for heavy-duty goods vehicles. But how can hydrogen refueling stations (HRSs) be supplied with hydrogen efficiently, sustainably and economically? A joint study by the National Organisation Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NOW GmbH) and the German Energy Agency (dena) examines four supply options via a future H₂ pipeline network. In the study, H₂ hubs that act as connecting elements between the emerging H₂ network and the HRSs are of particular importance.
In the summer of 2025, the first hydrogen vehicles will compete against vehicles with conventional drive systems at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Styria, Austria. To ensure that both fuel cells and combustion engines can be used there, Formula Student Austria, in cooperation with other race organizers, has published corresponding H2 regulations that will enable student teams to design, build and race hydrogen-powered racing cars in the future.
The challenge in designing a fuel cell electric drive lies in the vehicle- and vehicle application-specific dimensioning of the drivetrain components. The essential parameters to be considered for an optimization are the fuel cell output, the dynamics of the fuel cell, the mass of hydrogen in the tank, the capacity and maximum charging power of the HV battery, the output of the drive machine in motor and generator mode and also the dynamic behavior of the converters.
The intralogistics industry, too, must reduce its CO2 emissions while continuing to operate profitably. As far as drive systems are concerned, hydrogen technology alongside purely battery-electric vehicles is increasingly coming into focus. Thanks to its high performance, it scores particularly well in multi-shift operation.
In all of Germany is currently being felt the effects of the many global crises that have been unfolding in parallel since the early 2020s: pandemic, war in the middle of Europe, people fleeing their countries, inflation, shortage of skilled workers and uncertainties around energy, raw materials and supply chains are the influencing factors of the past years that today directly affect every place in the country more and more and with full consequence.
The Clean Energy Partnership or CEP is a consortium of various stakeholders that includes members from the automotive and energy sectors especially. On April 27, 2024, it issued a joint statement alongside the German hydrogen association DWV, making a powerful appeal to the German government.
We have long discussed the question of what comes first when ramping up hydrogen mobility. But this chicken-and-egg problem doesn’t actually exist: The refueling station always comes first! Why this is so exemplifies the first hydrogen refueling station in Gießen.
There was once a well-known German sports channel that would promote its TV shows with the slogan “Mittendrin statt nur dabei” – meaning at the heart of the action, not just on the sidelines. Had the broadcaster not claimed ownership of this phrase, the German district of Düren could have justifiably considered appropriating it for itself. After all, you would be hard pressed to find a place in the Rhineland that is more involved in the action. This is especially the case, given that the brown coal opencast mines of Inden, Hambach and Garzweiler are largely situated within the district. So when it comes to swiftly putting clean energy technology ideas into practice, Düren is not just involved, it’s right at the forefront. And hydrogen has played a key role from the start.
The HyExpert region of AachenPLUS in Germany is facing up to the challenge of how to manage the long-term restructuring necessitated by the phaseout of brown coal. The plan is to use the emerging hydrogen economy as a means to keep value in the region, create a sustainable energy supply and facilitate a transition to cleaner modes of transport. The focus is on exchanging ideas and linking up different hydrogen projects so that the experience gained can be swiftly put to use in the region.
