A real-time information system on the availability of hydrogen refuelling stations in Europe
Overcoming the challenges to the uptake of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs)
Over the last ten years, the Clean Hydrogen Partnership has sought ways to overcome the challenges to the uptake of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). It has funded a series of flagship car and refuelling infrastructure projects to demonstrate the hydrogen fuel cell technology’s reliability and financial viability, bringing down costs and building the investor confidence needed to upscale fuel cells and hydrogen use across the transport sector.
With the funding of hydrogen refuelling stations (HRS) we aim to create initial networks and facilitate the uptake of FCEVs. However, until FCEVs become a mainstream technology, the density of refuelling stations is likely to remain low relative to retail outlets for traditional fuels.
While various websites seek to show the extent and status of HRS by country / across Europe, there is no definitive source of reliable, up-to-date information on the real-time availability of HRS. There is therefore a need for a system to communicate information relating to HRS to drivers and potential customers of FCEVs. To maximise the value to early adopters of this technology, this information needs to include basic details such as HRS locations, and real-time data on the status of each site so that customers are alerted to any planned or unplanned outages before travelling to the station.
With a common European system on real-time availability, we want to offer a service to the FCEV first users by providing a complete and reliable information source on their filling availabilities (real-time availability) and show that the European grid of HRS is progressing not only by size but also by availability.
In the first phase (2017/18) we agreed on a common definition of “availability” and started the development and demonstration of a system for reporting real-time availability data. The following availability states are communicated: Available, Limited availability, Unavailable, Availability unknown, Outside opening hours, 700/350 bar H₂ for cars/buses not provided.
In the second phase (2018/19) all publicly accessible HRS in Europe, at that moment, were connected to the system, which provides free access to real-time availability data from a non-proprietary, open-source platform.
In the third phase (2020/24) the system is fully operational and new publicly accessible HRS in Europe are added continuously. In addition, all this information is constantly updated and can be accessed and used on https://h2-map.eu/
For further information, please contact: E-HRS-AS
clean-hydrogen [dot] europa [dot] eu (E-HRS-AS[at]clean-hydrogen[dot]europa[dot]eu)