When it comes to the future of mobility, Wesseling and Bonn will be front and centre. In Wesseling Shell is planning the construction of the world’s largest electrolyser of its kind which can make hydrogen out of green electricity. To enable motorists and companies in the region to drive climate-friendly fuel cell vehicles, hydrogen stations will be placed at the Shell refuelling station on Ahrstrasse, Wesseling as well as at the Shell station on Hermann-Wandersleb-Ring in Bonn. The hydrogen stations are among the first 100 nationwide.
The stations in Wesseling and Bonn are to begin operation at the end of 2019. Hydrogen (H2) – produced from renewable energy – makes an important contribution to climate-friendly driving. Numerous companies in the region have made the success in Wesseling possible: The Shell Rheinland Refinery’s concept was so impressive that the joint venture H2 MOBILITY approved the Wesseling application as part of a nationwide call for tender. At present there are 64 refuelling stations in Germany. By the end of 2019 there will be around 100.
The new stations will represent state-of-the-art technology. Their use by the driver is intuitive, refuelling is similar to the procedure for conventional vehicles and lasts three to five minutes, explains Thomas Bystry, Project Manager at the Shell Hydrogen division. Driving a H2-operated fuel cell vehicle causes neither local pollutants nor carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The range of these vehicles is around 500 to 800 kilometres per tank.
H2 MOBILITY’s decision was positively received by the companies in the region: “The Rheinland Refinery has been supplying fuels for our region for 80 years. Hydrogen can play an important role as a fuel for emission-free mobility. We are happy to supply this hydrogen from renewable energies in the future –for motorists as well”, says Frans Dumoulin, General Manager of Shell Rheinland Refinery.
“As a city, Wesseling lives alongside and from industry. Companies here find good conditions to develop new innovations and shape the future. Hydrogen can be a fuel for this future. That is why we are delighted for Wesseling to play its part in designing the future of mobility”, says Erwin Esser, Mayor of Wesseling.
The stations will be funded through the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) under the National Innovation Programme for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology II (NIP II).
About Shell Rheinland Refinery
Shell Rhineland Refinery is the largest German refinery. Around 17 million tonnes of crude oil are processed per year. Up to 3,000 employees at the plant sections in Köln-Godorf and Wesseling produce around ten per cent of the diesel and petrol consumed in Germany, around 15 per cent of the kerosene used in Germany as well as products for the chemical industry.
About H2 MOBILITY
H2 MOBILITY Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG is responsible for establishing a nationwide hydrogen infrastructure to supply cars with fuel cell drives (700 bar technology) in Germany. The first goal is the operation of 100 refuelling stations in seven German metropolitan areas by 2019 (Hamburg, Berlin, Rhine-Ruhr, Frankfurt, Nuremberg, Stuttgart and Munich) as well as along trunk roads and motorways. With the ramp up of vehicle numbers, up to 400 hydrogen refuelling stations will ensure nationwide supply coverage. H2 MOBILITY assumes all tasks – planning, construction, operation and marketing – which are required for successful network expansion and operation.
The H2 MOBILITY partners are Air Liquide, Daimler, Linde, OMV, Shell and TOTAL. BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Toyota and Volkswagen as well as NOW GmbH National Organisation Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology advise H2 MOBILITY as associated partners.
More information: h2.live