Baden-Württemberg, Germany gets its first public hydrogen filling station
The first publicly-accessible hydrogen filling station in the German state of Baden-Württemberg opened this week at Stuttgart Airport. The station is being operated by OMV and was built in cooperation with Daimler and chemical supplier Linde. The new station utilizes Linde's ion-compressor technology and supports both 350 BAR and 700 BAR filling. Aside from Honda's FCX Clarity, which stores hydrogen at 350 BAR, most other automakers have moved to 700 BAR storage which allows for a greater range. The new station is the first such project for OMV, which operates 400 gas stations in Germany.
Daimler is planning to launch low volume series production of the B-Class F-Cell later this year. Linde produces the hydrogen for this station from steam reformation of natural gas which cuts CO2 emissions 30 percent compared to modern diesel engines. Linde is also working on a new process to produce hydrogen from biogenic feedstocks. A pilot production facility using this process should be coming online later this year. The Daimler press release is after the jump.
Gallery: Stuttgart Airport H2 station
[Source: Daimler]
PRESS RELEASE:
OMV opens Baden-Württemberg's first public hydrogen filling station for emission-free mobility of the future Stuttgart
Jun 17, 2009
* A cooperative project of the companies OMV, Linde, and Daimler subsidized by the State of Baden-Württemberg
* A hydrogen filling station with new filling technology for enhanced user-friendliness and extended operating range
* Use of hydrogen in fuel cell technology for environment-friendly vehicle generations
Stuttgart – On the site of the OMV service station at Stuttgart Airport, OMV in cooperation with Linde AG and Daimler AG will be opening Baden-Württemberg's first publicly accessible hydrogen filling station on June 17, 2009. This successful cooperation between the participating companies is subsidized by the State of Baden-Württemberg. The project is centered on the use of hydrogen as an environment-friendly energy medium. Hydrogen filling stations represent an important step toward reducing dependence on fossil fuels in the long term and coming a step closer to emission-free sustainable mobility. The innovative hydrogen filling station will serve fuel cell vehicles of the latest generation, such as the Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL, with 700-bar high-pressure technology. Small-series production of this vehicle is to commence later this year in Germany.
The proximity of the OMV service station to Stuttgart Airport – a major transport hub – and to Daimler AG's research and development centers, together with the cooperative contact between the two companies, is providing the basis for the establishment of Baden-Württemberg's first publicly accessible hydrogen filling station. Within the framework of a public-private partnership, the hydrogen station will provide an important impulse for a future supply network for this state, thus supporting the operation of locally emission-free electric vehicles on the basis of fuel cell technology.
"The development of new drive technologies is crucial to Baden-Württemberg's automotive industry and will ensure that it can emerge with renewed strength from the current crisis and participate in the race for international technological leadership. Hydrogen technology plays a decisive role here. By entering the field of hydrogen technology we are protecting natural resources, while at the same time reducing our dependence on the import of fossil fuels. This initiative is a key component of Baden-Württemberg's sustainability strategy: Through future-proof energy utilization we are promoting environment-friendly and thus sustainable mobility," said Baden-Württemberg's Minister-President Günther H. Oettinger of the joint project. The state was therefore supporting this project with the sum of 800,000 euros from the program "Zukunftsoffensive Baden-Württemberg" (Baden-Württemberg's Campaign for the Future), Oettinger continued.
As a leading gas supplier and the world's largest manufacturer of hydrogen facilities, Linde has a wealth of expertise throughout the hydrogen value creation chain – from hydrogen production to filling technology. This company, the world's pre-eminent outfitter of hydrogen filling stations, distributes filling technology in 15 countries. The new hydrogen station at Stuttgart Airport incorporates ion-compressor technology developed by Linde. With this new compression process, cars and electric buses powered by fuel cells can be refueled within a matter of minutes – just like vehicles powered by conventional internal combustion engines – with hydrogen at a pressure of either 350 or 700 bar. The gaseous hydrogen is also supplied by Linde AG. Operation with hydrogen produces only electrical energy along with water vapor. No hydrocarbons or sulfur oxides are generated – and not even carbon dioxide (CO2), which arises during combustion of fossil fuels. Hydrogen as a fuel for automotive drive technologies is free of emissions detrimental to the climate and to the environment in both its production from regenerative energy media and in its transformation into electricity. "As the pioneer of hydrogen technology we have a particular responsibility to press ahead toward hydrogen-based sustainable mobility," said Dr. Aldo Belloni, member of the Board of Management of Linde AG. "Establishing the infrastructure for this future-oriented energy medium calls for a concerted effort among the partners involved. We are delighted to have realized a filling station concept of the latest generation together with OMV. With our newly developed 700-bar technology, vehicles can be refueled rapidly, safely, and in a user-friendly manner."
"Our fuel cell vehicles have already demonstrated their suitability for everyday operation. To turn emission-free driving into reality, we now need a comprehensive network of hydrogen filling stations," said Dr. Thomas Weber, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG with responsibility for Group research and Mercedes-Benz Cars development. "We therefore wholeheartedly welcome and support the initiative of OMV." Daimler already presented the first fuel cell vehicle in 1994; the Group has since invested more than a billion euros in fuel cell development. With more than 100 test vehicles and around 4.4 million kilometers covered, the Stuttgart carmaker has one of the largest fuel cell fleets in the world. The start of small-series production of the B-Class F-CELL, planned for 2009, is now continuing the success story of this drive concept.
OMV operates around 400 filling stations in Germany, with a clear focus on the south of the country with the two states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, along with further filling stations in the states of Thuringia and Saxony. The hydrogen filling station project at Stuttgart Airport is the first of its kind in Germany for OMV. "OMV is already intensively dealing today with the mobility of tomorrow. In our function as energy providers we have a responsibility with regard to the fuels of the future. Hydrogen, currently in the development and testing phase, is one of the possible alternatives for the mobility of the future," said Dr. Gerhard Roiss, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board of OMV Aktiengesellschaft. "We are therefore very happy to be able to support Daimler's research and development activities with our new hydrogen filling station, together with the State of Baden-Württemberg." The project is being supported by the OMV Future Energy Fund, established in June 2006 as an independent organization for the financial support of projects for renewable energy forms, with a contribution of more than 100 million euros. With HyCentA (Hydrogen Center Austria), a further project of OMV with headquarters on the campus of the Technical University of Graz, the energy supplier has long since been gathering invaluable experience in the future-oriented field of research and development with hydrogen technology.
Further background information
Hydrogen production:
The hydrogen required for the filling station is generated in the so-called steam reforming process: In the steam reformer hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide are initially produced at high temperatures from natural gas and water vapor in a reactor. In the following stage, steam is added to convert the carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide and hydrogen.
The hydrogen fuel derived by this means already leads to CO2 savings of up to 30 percent, as compared with modern diesel vehicles (basis of comparison 120 g CO2/km). Nevertheless, in the medium to long term, there will be no substitute for hydrogen production from renewable energy sources. The Linde Group is currently carrying out intensive work on innovative solutions for sustainable hydrogen production. An important step towards the marketable production of regenerative hydrogen has been reached with a new process for deriving hydrogen from biogenic raw materials. For this purpose Hydromotive GmbH, a subsidiary of the Linde Group, will establish a demonstration unit for the production of hydrogen from glycerin in the chemical town of Leuna in the middle of this year. Glycerin, a byproduct arising in the manufacture of biodiesel, can thereby be put to practical use. The hydrogen generated by this means makes for carbon dioxide savings of up to 90 percent as compared with a conventional drive unit.
Further approaches to regenerative production, such as hydrogen production from wind and solar energy through electrolysis, or biochemical and thermochemical generation from algae, are also being pursued by the Linde Group; these are promising prospects as long as the local conditions are appropriate.
In a project not connected with Linde, the State of Baden-Württemberg has also promoted the development of gasification technology and will be subsidizing a demonstration unit near Geislingen as of 2010. In this unit, biomass – for example scrap wood – is gasified in the AER (absorption-enhanced reforming) process to yield a gas with a very high hydrogen content.
Fuel cell operation:
The B-Class F-CELL is fitted with a fuel cell drive unit of the latest generation and is thus both far more compact and more powerful than previous fuel cell systems. The newly devised stack, although around 40 percent smaller, has a 30 percent higher output; with a 16 percent lower consumption, this unit is highly efficient. The B-Class F-CELL also has favorable cold-starting ability. This is made possible by innovations such as the electric turbocharger for air supply and the new moisturizing and demoisturizing systems. The electric motor develops a peak output of 100 kW/136 hp and a maximum torque of 320 newton-meters. The B-Class F-CELL thus fulfills high driving dynamic requirements that exceed the level of a two-liter gasoline car, and attains an operating range of up to 400 kilometers.
The functional principle of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC):
The fuel cell is a galvanic cell that converts the reaction energy of an introduced fuel (e.g. hydrogen) and an oxidant (e.g. atmospheric oxygen) into electrical energy. A fuel cell is not an energy storage medium like an accumulator battery, but an energy converter. The proton exchange membrane fuel cell normally uses hydrogen as an energy medium and attains an efficiency factor of around 60 percent. The key element of the PEMFC is a polymer membrane that is permeable only to protons (H+ ions), the so-called proton exchange membrane (PEM). The oxidant, usually atmospheric oxygen, is thus spatially separated from the reducing agent, hydrogen. The fuel, in this case hydrogen, is catalytically oxidized at the anode and releases electrons to form hydrogen ions (protons), which pass through the ion exchange membrane into the chamber with the oxidant. The electrons flow out of the fuel cell via an electrical consumer, e.g. an electric motor, to the cathode. At the cathode the oxidant, in this case oxygen, on binding the electrons is reduced to anions, which react directly with the hydrogen ions (protons) to produce water. Along with electrical energy this reaction also generates heat, which can be used for example to heat the vehicle.
The hydrogen filling station structure in Germany:
The establishment of a public hydrogen infrastructure is crucial to the successful introduction of hydrogen-powered vehicles. The first centers ("clusters"), such as those in Berlin and Hamburg, have already been established. Of the currently almost 30 hydrogen stations in Germany, six are integrated into public filling station operations. Germany is thus the European pioneer. The cooperative project being carried out at Stuttgart Airport's OMV filling station is now Germany's seventh publicly accessible hydrogen station and the first in the State of Baden-Württemberg.
Operation of public hydrogen filling stations will only become economically viable once a sufficient number of hydrogen-powered vehicles are on the roads. Achieving a broad-based market introduction and establishing a public infrastructure will require a coordinated, cooperative, and long-term three-stage approach involving all interest groups.
First: Focused cluster formation – demand-based grouping in urban areas for technically and economically appropriate capacity utilization. Five to ten filling stations are already sufficient to cover the initial requirements of a large city.
Second: Corridors – connecting the urban clusters by means of corridors along the main arteries. Here too, initial plans have been drawn up, e.g. for linking the Berlin and Hamburg H2 clusters along the autobahn.
Third: Comprehensive area coverage.
The corporations
OMV Aktiengesellschaft
With Group sales of EUR 25.54 bn and a workforce of 41,282 employees in 2008, OMV Aktiengesellschaft is one of Austria's largest listed industrial companies. As the leading energy group in the European growth belt, OMV is active in Refining and Marketing (R&M) in 13 countries. In Exploration and Production (EP) OMV is active in 17 countries on four continents. In Gas & Power (GP) OMV sells approximately 13 bcm gas per year. Via Baumgarten, one of the most important turntables for gas in Europe, approximately 66 bcm gas is transported annually. OMV's Central European Gas Hub is amongst the three largest hubs in Continental Europe.
OMV is the leading energy group in the European growth beltwith oil and gas reserves of approximately. 1.2 bn boe, daily production of around 308,000 boe and an annual refining capacity of approximately. 26 mn t. OMV now has 2,477 filling stations in 13 countries. The market share of the group in the R&M business segment in the Danube Region is now 20%.
OMV further strengthened its leading position in the European growth belt through the acquisition of 41.58% of Petrol Ofisi, Turkey's leading company in the retail and commercial business.
In June 2006, OMV has established the OMV Future Energy Fund, a wholly owned subsidiary to support projects in renewable energy with more than EUR 100 mn to initiate the change from a pure oil and gas group to an energy group with renewable energy in its portfolio.
Daimler AG
Stuttgart, Germany-based Daimler AG, with its businesses Mercedes-Benz Cars, Daimler Trucks, Daimler Financial Services, Mercedes-Benz Vans and Daimler Buses, is a globally leading producer of premium passenger cars and is the global market leader for heavy- and medium-duty trucks and buses. The Daimler Financial Services division has a broad offering of financial services, including vehicle financing, leasing, insurance and fleet management. Daimler sells its products in nearly every country and has production facilities on five continents. Founders, Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz, continued to make automotive history following their invention of the automobile in 1886. As an automotive pioneer, Daimler and its employees willingly accept an obligation to act responsibly towards society and the environment and to shape the future of safe and sustainable mobility with groundbreaking technologies and high-quality products. The current brand portfolio includes the world's most valuable automobile brand, Mercedes-Benz, as well as smart, AMG, Maybach, Freightliner, Western Star, Mitsubishi Fuso, Setra, Orion and Thomas Built Buses. The company is listed on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt, New Yorkand Stuttgart(stock exchange abbreviation DAI). In 2008, the Group sold 2.1 million vehicles and employed a workforce of over 270,000 people; revenue totaled €95.9 billion and EBIT amounted to €2.7 billion. Daimler is an automotive Group with a commitment to excellence, and aims to achieve sustainable growth and industry-leading profitability.
For more information, see Daimler online at www.media.daimler.com
Linde Group
The Linde Group is a world leading gases and engineering company with almost 52,000 employees working in around 100 countries worldwide. In the 2008 financial year it achieved sales of EUR 12.7 billion. The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards sustainable earnings-based growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business with forward-looking products and services. Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment – in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. Linde is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development. For more information, see The Linde Group online at http://www.linde.com
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Dude 2:13PM (6/19/2009)
Waste of resources from Daimler...
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bob 2:01PM (6/20/2009)
Ever hear of the term "German engineering?"
Orangecrush 2:36PM (6/19/2009)
I love it. Another piece of the energy puzzle. Not everyone wants or can use a battery only car. Hydrogen acts more like an ICE. Once engineers come up with better techniques to produce mass hydrogen at low energy and cost, there will be a market for this technology.
Of course, on this website, the bias is towards battery only (regardless of cost or suitability for people), which will be available for those people too.
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letstakeawalk 3:19PM (6/19/2009)
You might be interested in a new Aluminum-Gallium alloy being developed at Perdue:
http://news.uns.purdue.edu/x/2007a/070515WoodallHydrogen.html
""I was cleaning a crucible containing liquid alloys of gallium and aluminum," Woodall said. "When I added water to this alloy - talk about a discovery - there was a violent poof. I went to my office and worked out the reaction in a couple of hours to figure out what had happened. When aluminum atoms in the liquid alloy come into contact with water, they react, splitting the water and producing hydrogen and aluminum oxide."
Dude 4:40PM (6/19/2009)
"Not everyone wants or can use a battery only car. Hydrogen acts more like an ICE. Once engineers come up with better techniques to produce mass hydrogen at low energy and cost, there will be a market for this technology. "
Really? Well, let's say I want to buy a FC car today. Like right now. Where can I get one? I know that if I drive 3 miles I can go and buy a Tesla from their Menlo Park showroom.
"Of course, on this website, the bias is towards battery only (regardless of cost or suitability for people), which will be available for those people too. "
Probably since the people posting here are most likely technically trained and science is a meritocracy. No, not all venues should be explored, science is not equal opportunity. We don't teach the Earth if flat.
Chris M 4:40PM (6/19/2009)
Not everyone wants a BEV, petrol heads are addicted to the roar of a V8, Biodiesel and veggie oil enthusiasts love their diesels, some folks ride bicycles, and some don't drive a car at all. And of course, there are some folks that prefer the latest high tech buzzword, willing to pay 10x more for a H2 vehicle running on much more expensive fuel, especially when they can get someone else to subsidizes all the costs.
The "battery bias" is simply favoring the most practical solutions to the oil and climate problems.
As for that Aluminum/Gallium idea, while it works, it adds considerable cost and weight, and it is even less energy efficient than other methods of making H2. It isn't practical, and I suspect Professor Woodall knows that, but he also realized that he could get a big government research grant by using the "Hydrogen!" buzzword, from bureucrats not smart enough to know what a bad idea that "AlGa process" really is.
If you really wanted to power a car using "aluminum fuel", it would be nearly 3x more efficient, much lighter, and considerably less expensive to use an "aluminum/air" battery instead.
letstakeawalk 5:52PM (6/20/2009)
"No, not all venues should be explored, science is not equal opportunity. We don't teach the Earth if flat."
I must disagree strongly with this statement. Science DOES recognize the benefit of researching as many options as possible. Science IS equal opportunity, because anyone should be able to conduct any experiment and achieve repeatable results.
And yes, we DO teach that the Earth is flat - at least at small scales. Euclidean geometry works very well for most people who are trying to measure and describe their immediate environment.
I support EVs, ER_EVs, H2FCs, H2ICEs, and just about every other potential tech out there. But NOTHING gets close to the efficiency I achieve on my 3-speed bicycle - so it would appear that all those alternative-powered vehicles should just be scrapped and we should give everyone a bike - for efficiency's sake, amirite?
BlackbirdHighway 2:40PM (6/19/2009)
I'm getting a little bit of a disconnect here. According to the advocates, hydrogen is so clean the only exhaust product is water.
But here it "cuts CO2 emissions 30 percent compared to modern diesel engines".
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GoodCheer 3:45PM (6/19/2009)
Turning H2 into electricity (or mechanical energy) does not produce any CO2.... so the vehicle itself is emissions free.
Producing H2, on the other hand, requires energy, and energy (in practical terms) requires the production of CO2. That step happens at a big refinery somewhere.
Chris M 4:14PM (6/19/2009)
While the H2FC cars themselves don't emit CO2, the H2 production process most certainly does, steam reforming of natural gas.
The vague promise of "clean H2" from renewable sources is trotted out, but since steam reforming of fossil fuels is so much cheaper, we won't be seeing that any time soon. Of course, EVs would be 3x more efficient in using our limited supply of renewables, so why waste it making H2?
bob 1:45PM (6/20/2009)
Reforming natural gas into hydrogen and using it to power a fuel cell is far more efficient than burning natural gas to make electricity to transmit through power lines. CO2 is still released (or captured), but in a smaller ratio than electrical generation.
http://hydrogendiscoveries.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/general-motors-congressional-briefing-june-12-2009.pdf
Chris M 5:33PM (6/20/2009)
Bob, the link you quoted doesn't support your contention - it compared "conventional vehicles" running on compressed natural gas to H2 from natural gas for fuel cell vehicles. Some types of hybrids and plug-in hybrids that don't run on natural gas were also compared, but H2 enthusiasts really don't want a comparison with EVs in terms of efficiency or emissions, so EVs weren't compared.
So here's the comparison that Hydrogen Discoveries doesn't want you to see:
The most efficient natural gas powerplants in operation are the GE H Cycle gas turbine generators at 60% efficient, the grid at 93% efficient, Charger and batteries at 85% efficient, motor at 90% efficient, overall efficiency 43%.
Steam reforming of natural gas at 70% efficient, compression and distribution at 85% efficient, PEM fuel cell at 50% efficient, motor at 90% efficient, overal efficiency 27%. Hmm, the BEV wins by 16%!
Oh, but I hear you spluttering, "That's the newest most efficient powerplant, most powerplants aren't nearly that efficient!" Right, but if you propose building entirely new producion facilities for H2, I could also propose replacing those older less efficient powerplants with the latest technology, and at a lower cost as well. But, if you insist: Older natural gas power plant at 45% efficient, the grid at 93% efficient, Charger and batteries at 85% efficient, motor at 90% efficient, overall efficiency 32%. EVs still win.
But the comparison the H2 hypers really don't want anyone to see is when renewable sources are used. To get H2 from renewables, it is necessary to make electricity first, so lets compare efficiency of electrical energy storage:
The combination of electrolysis, compression for storage, and PEM fuel cells is only 24% efficient. The combination of charger and batteries is 85% efficient, more than 3x more efficient than going the H2 route. Why waste our limited supply of renewable electricity by using H2 fuel cells?
Serge 2:46PM (6/19/2009)
at .9 euros per 100 g, the equivalent of 1 gallon of gasoline will set you back a mere 9 euros. Perhaps one can a deal on one of those FCEVs ... What a joke.
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jpm 2:56PM (6/19/2009)
sehr schlecht
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Tim 3:06PM (6/19/2009)
And Big Oil cheers as they work to change our addition from oil to H2.
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orangecrush 3:31PM (6/19/2009)
The company here is Linde, an air products company....NOT big oil...nice try.
Tim 3:54PM (6/19/2009)
OrangeCrush,
Linde may be the distributor, and hydrogen may be produced from water by electrolysis but at substantially GREATER cost than production from natural gas which comes from Big Oil. H2 is produced by and used in the oil industry to crack crude oil into other products.
Big Oil reforms Natural Gas into H2 because that is the cheapest way to make H2! (by the way, what happens to the C02 released from the Natural Gas during the H2 reformation process?)
Hydrogen Basics - Production:
http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/consumer/hydrogen/basics/production.htm
A little knowledge is a good thing. Learn to do your OWN research.
Nice try.
Chris M 4:20PM (6/19/2009)
The OMV station is already vending petrol and diesel fuels, they're just adding yet another expensive fuel that they hope will prove profitable. Linde is providing the equipment.
gorr 6:00PM (6/19/2009)
This picture and this news will stay forever on earth, this is the reality now with computers. Notice how stupids these folks are, utilizing, selling, building, subsidizing, publicizing and charging taxmoney for a costly and poluting refueling station instead of using ordinary water, LOL. They sell headaches and the associated pill. Work as slave toward starvation is their religion, that's why they only gather in goverments. Since 2001 the law is only for criminals and honest peoples are terrorists.
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Noz 6:03PM (6/19/2009)
So much whining from the "open minded" electric crowd.
Of course, all the ways you guys pitch EV's as being the way to go...no one here has any freaking clue what real environmental impact leaky batteries, waste, recycling, etc will have.
Of course, the battery industry and its supporters aren't in it for the money, power, control, or anything else...they just want to plant roses and do it out of the goodness of their hearts.
What a crock of bullsht you people spew.
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