Air Products has unveiled plans to build a network of permanent, commercial-scale hydrogen refueling stations (HRSs), strategically located along major transportation corridors near the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). This infrastructure will help connect key locations across Europe and support the advancement of a safe and resilient hydrogen ecosystem.
These commercial-scale stations will deliver enhanced fueling technology, multiple pressure fueling options and ultimately, onsite liquid hydrogen storage, which enables liquid fueling. As part of a robust European hydrogen network, they will help ensure reliability and convenience for heavy-duty transportation powered by hydrogen.
The HRSs will be supplied with renewable hydrogen from Air Products’ global hydrogen supply chain network, providing a dependable energy supply to heavy-duty transportation. This includes a second hydrogen liquefaction plant the company is building in Rotterdam, Netherlands, which — once operational — will double Europe’s total liquid hydrogen capacity.
A number of current and planned stations have already been awarded subsidies by the European Commission through their Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) funding program. These include:
- HRSs in Rotterdam and Hürth, Germany, currently in commissioning phase
- An HRS at the Volvo Group site in the port of Ghent, Belgium
- Europe’s first commercial-scale HRS with liquid hydrogen in the port of Zeebrugge, Belgium
Besides CEF funding, the company has been awarded funding from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Action and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, to build two high-capacity, publicly accessible HRSs in Meckenheim and Duisburg, Germany.
In collaboration with heavy-duty vehicle producer Daimler Truck, Air Products’ latest mobile fueling station in Duisburg is being used in a pioneering hydrogen truck pilot project. As part of customer trials, five Mercedes-Benz GenH2 trucks can refuel at the station, enabling it to operate under real, heavy-duty fueling conditions. This will offer vital insights into the liquid hydrogen fueling interface and help inform the ongoing development of a future-ready hydrogen ecosystem.
Aligned with Air Products’ commitment to convert its distribution fleet to hydrogen-powered vehicles, one of the GenH2 trucks is being trialed as part of the project. The vehicle will be deployed in Air Products’ existing fleet to transport cylinder gases, allowing it to gain experience in industrial gas transportation.
The GenH2 trucks will be fueled with liquid hydrogen, which enables a range of over 1,000 kilometers. In this aggregate state, the energy carrier has a higher energy density so more hydrogen can be carried, which increases the range and enables vehicle performance comparable to that of a conventional diesel truck.
Liquid hydrogen tanks also offer advantages in terms of cost and weight compared with compressed gaseous hydrogen. Thus, the use of liquid hydrogen enables a higher payload. This makes the GenH2 Truck just as suitable for flexible and demanding long-haul road transportation as conventional diesel trucks.
“With thousands of trucks delivering industrial gases to our customers every day, logistics is an integral part of our business,” says Seifi Ghasemi, chairman, president and CEO of Air Products. “Trialing a Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck under real conditions is a critical step in our work to convert our distribution fleet to hydrogen-powered vehicles. On the pathway to sustainable transportation, safe and reliable production, transportation and distribution of renewable hydrogen across the entire value chain is also essential. This is Air Products’ proven area of expertise, and we’re proud to be providing critical refueling infrastructure and liquid hydrogen as part of this project.”
“It is important to note that high-performance CO2-neutral vehicles alone will not be enough to make sustainable transportation successful,” adds Martin Daum, chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler Truck AG. “This also requires a corresponding charging and refueling infrastructure, as well as cost parity with conventional vehicles. Although policymakers and energy companies are already active here, we urgently need even more momentum, across the entire Europe.”