300 experts discuss online climate-conscious drives and fuels for road, rail and waterways.

Düsseldorf – The Fuel Cell and Hydrogen, E-Mobility Network NRW (Netzwerk Brennstoffzelle und Wasserstoff, Elektromobilität (NBWE)) and the Future Fuels and Propulsion Systems Network (Netwerk Kraftstoffe und Antriebe der Zukunft (NKAdZ)) are together working on the development, testing and market introduction of new technologies and solutions for future mobility. At an online conference, over 300 experts are discussing drive technologies for climate-conscious commercial vehicles and the associated fuel supply systems required.

Prof. Dr. Andreas Pinkwart: “We want North Rhine-Westphalia to develop into a hydrogen valley with a robust domestic market for hydrogen technologies. With this objective and in dialogue with participating companies, scientific institutions and associations, we are currently preparing a hydrogen roadmap for North Rhine-Westphalia, which we will present before the end of the year. We see huge potential in heavy-duty goods transport and local public bus transport. The national and European hydrogen strategies reaffirm our course and help us to develop a dynamic hydrogen ecosystem.”

Kurt-Christoph von Knobelsdorff, Managing Director (Chair) of the National Organisation Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NOW GmbH) in Berlin, stated: “To achieve the climate goals in the transport sector, all alternative drive technologies and all low- and zero-CO2 fuel alternatives are needed. The federal government’s funding programmes coordinated by NOW have developed alternative drive technologies to market maturity and pushed the market ramp-up forward. The climate protection package, hydrogen strategy and stimulus package will reinforce these efforts even more. The same applies to the development and production of climate-friendly fuels. Here too, additional funding is being allocated in considerable volumes.”

Background: Hydrogen infrastructure in NRW

North Rhine-Westphalia remains at the pinnacle of all federal states in terms of building infrastructure for hydrogen refueling stations: H2 MOBILITY Deutschland and its partners Shell and Air Liquide have together opened the 18th hydrogen (H2) refuelling station in NRW in Dortmund. Bavaria takes second place (17 refuelling stations). Hydrogen refuels electric vehicles with fuel cells. The advantages: no noise and no pollutants, but the same usage spectrum, speed and range (distance) as is the case with cars using a petrol or a diesel engine. The network of stations at which fuel cell vehicles (aside from cars, also increasingly buses and commercial vehicles) can be refuelled with hydrogen is becoming more dense. In Germany there are already more than 80 hydrogen refuelling stations.

Brief description of the networks

To meet the challenges of the energy transition, climate protection, increasing energy efficiency and the expansion of regenerative energies, hydrogen and fuel cell technology, battery-electric mobility and low-emission fuels represent important key technologies in all areas of the energy and transport system. Over 500 members and over 130 project partners from the NRW Electromobility Model Region are already actively participating and are using the services of the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen, E-Mobility Network of EnergieAgentur.NRW (headed by Dr. Thomas Kattenstein).

The Future Fuels and Propulsion Systems Network of EnergieAgentur.NRW (led by Dr. Frank Köster) mobilises all forces along the entirety of the supply chain which advance the sustainable use of future fuels and drives as well as their types of application for North Rhine-Westphalia and their establishment in the federal state. Thus members work on the topics of alternative fuels (such as CNG, LNG as well as biomethane and synthetic fuels), vehicle and drive concepts as well as the development of infrastructural solutions for different logistical applications.
www.energieagentur.nrw/nbwe-jahrestreffen

Background: Electric mobility in NRW

For electric mobility, under the umbrella brand “Electric Mobility NRW” of the NRW Economic Affairs Ministry, the topic areas of integration of renewable energies in the transport sector, using electric vehicles in commercial and municipal fleets or also the development of business models in this area will be supported. All electric mobility activities will be bundled under this brand. The EnergieAgentur.NRW and the NRW Electric Mobility Competence Centre (Kompetenzzentrum ElektroMobilität NRW), commissioned by the NRW Ministry of Economic Affairs, are together working on the further development of electric mobility in NRW – funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
www.elektromobilitaet.nrw

Contacts:

Stefan Garche
Fuel Cell and Hydrogen, Electric Mobility Network NRW
Phone: +49 (02 11) 8 66 42 23; Mobile: +49 (0178) 358 78 51
Email:

For media queries:

Uwe H. Burghardt M.A.
Press spokesperson, Innovations and Networks
Phone: +49 (02 11) 8 66 42 13; Mobile: +49 (0160) 746 18 55
Email: