If it were up to the company H2 Ontwikkeling from Urk, hydrogen could soon be refilled in the Noordoostpolder and Urk.
The company wants to realise hydrogen refuelling stations there and has developed special mobile refuelling installations for the purpose.
“Nowhere in Flevoland can you fill up with hydrogen. So it’s not surprising that no-one is going to drive their car on hydrogen, or use it in the engine of a boat, truck or forklift. It has all been possible for a long time. It is the future. The plans are there too. But now it is time to execute them,” says Eize Hoekstra of H2 Ontwikkeling.
Hoekstra is a big supporter of the use of hydrogen. “Eight years ago I was in Brazil for my work. And there I saw that they were making hydrogen and already using it in homes.” The Urker has been working on hydrogen for a few years now and sees it as the alternative to current fuels. According to him, it is high time that hydrogen gets off the ground here too. “If we don’t do anything, we’re going to go to hell. We are already seeing and noticing the consequences of climate change. I want my grandchildren to have a future too.”
In an office in a truck trailer on the Urk industrial estate, Hoekstra worked out all kinds of plans for the use of hydrogen in recent years together with Jacob Pieter Barends. The two are now going public because they need investors to actually carry out their plans. “We are already in contact with all kinds of parties. Westfalen Gassen Nederland, for example, wants to do business with us. Together with them, we have also already had talks with the province.” Another meeting with the province is planned in two weeks’ time.
In addition to mobile filling stations, H2 Ontwikkeling also wants to build a hydrogen factory in Flevoland. In order to draw more attention to the opportunities and possibilities of hydrogen, the company is holding a special green energy fair in Urk. There everyone will be able to see and hear everything about green hydrogen. The fair is planned from 10 to 12 March in De Koningshof on Urk.
They have plenty of plans and ideas. “But now it’s really time that we can start making those filling stations too. We need the other parties to be able to invest. In the meantime, we’re also in talks with the municipalities. “We want to have everything arranged so that we can put the mobile filling stations down as soon as possible.”
Although much still needs to be done, both Urkers are convinced that hydrogen refueling will be possible on Urk and in Emmeloord before the end of the year.
