The infrastructure for fuel cell cars is becoming more developed. In 2021, 142 hydrogen filling stations opened throughout the world, which is a record number. In Europe, 37 new filling stations opened, 89 in Asia, and 13 in North America.
The 14th annual review by H2stations.org, a Ludwig-Bölkow-Systemtechnik website, came to this conclusion (LBST). In 33 nations, there is presently hydrogen filling station infrastructure.
There were 685 hydrogen filling stations in operation across the world by the end of 2021. There are currently plans in place for 252 more fueling stations. The advancements in Spain and New Zealand are noteworthy, as there were numerous new definite placement plans for the first time. Hungary and Slovenia are new entrants, each with a hydrogen filling station. In 33 nations, hydrogen is currently available for purchase.
Germany is still the European champion
Europe had 228 fueling stations by the end of the year, with Germany accounting for 101 of them. France continues to lead Europe with 41 stations, followed by the United Kingdom (19), Switzerland (12), and the Netherlands (11).
At the end of 2021, there were 363 service stations in Asia, with 159 in Japan and 95 in Korea. The 105 Chinese filling stations identified are virtually entirely utilized to refuel buses or vehicles. Korea saw the newest filling stations open in 2021, with 36, and is increasing its infrastructure for all fuel cell cars.
The bulk of the 86 petrol stations in North America, 60, is still in California. In 2021, 11 new fueling stations opened in the area.
Up to 250 retail hydrogen filling stations will be built as part of a joint venture
Phillips 66 and H2 Energy Europe have announced their plan to launch a 50-50 joint venture in Germany, Austria, and Denmark by 2026 to install up to 250 retail hydrogen filling stations.
Through its involvement in the Coop Mineraloel AG business, Phillips 66 operates more than 1,000 JET-branded filling stations in Europe and a hydrogen filling network in Switzerland.
H2 Energy Holding AG, Europe’s leading hydrogen supplier investing in the production, distribution, and use of green hydrogen, is headquartered in Switzerland. It is a joint venture between commodity trading company Trafigura Pte Ltd. and H2 Energy Holding AG, Europe’s leading hydrogen supplier investing in the production, distribution, and use of green hydrogen.
H2 Energy owns Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility, a European distributor for Hyundai’s mass-produced hydrogen fuel cell heavy trucks, and was involved in a big contract to deliver Hyundai hydrogen vehicles to Switzerland.
Phillips 66 and H2 Energy will pool their resources to create a retail network that combines hydrogen supply, logistics, and car sales. As green hydrogen becomes accessible, the parties will endeavor to distribute it to the network of retail filling stations. These large vehicles fuelled by hydrogen fuel cells must meet a portion of the demand for hydrogen.
Existing JET-branded retail stations, as well as new locations along significant transportation routes, will be part of the joint venture’s future hydrogen fuelling station network in Germany, Austria, and Denmark.
We recently wrote an opinion piece arguing that hydrogen technologies are unlikely to play a significant role in vehicle decarbonization. The hydrogen automobile market is currently modest. Although the availability of filling facilities might boost sales, there are still concerns about the sector’s future.
