Commissioning of the world's first AVIA hydrogen filling station in St. Gallen. By the end of 2020, six hydrogen filling stations will cover the Lake Constance – Lake Geneva axis. Green hydrogen from 100% renewable energy sources is being produced on a large scale in Switzerland for the first time. The first 50 hydrogen-electric commercial vehicles will be on the road in Switzerland by the end of 2020. The globally unique eco-mobility system is being implemented by 21 Swiss “heavyweights” from the transport, logistics and filling station industries, leading representatives of the Swiss energy industry, a global vehicle manufacturer and specialist companies in the hydrogen industry.
A big day for hydrogen electromobility in Switzerland: With the commissioning of the world's first AVIA hydrogen filling station in St. Gallen, Bertrand Piccard is giving the starting signal for an ecological cycle that gives up road traffic leads a promising path towards the energy transition.
Bertrand Piccard: «What the Swiss private sector is achieving is unique in the world. Some believed that the hydrogen industry was a pure utopia. But Switzerland proves that electrically powered commercial vehicles and passenger cars can be fueled with clean hydrogen and driven without CO2 emissions. In addition to building an economically viable sector, we are talking about major progress for the environment - with convincing benefits for customers. Refueling only takes a few minutes. The drive is 100% electric. Performance and range are high. And no harmful gases come out of the exhaust, just pure water vapor. Many pioneers have pooled their expertise to arrive at this important moment for the environment - not with words, but with actions.»
After a pilot phase lasting several years, the members of the H2 Mobility Switzerland support association and their partner companies are ramping up the new electric mobility system in Switzerland. This enables CO2-free operation of electrically powered commercial vehicles and passenger cars that use green hydrogen as energy storage.
The first 50 Hyundai XCIENT Fuel Cell hydrogen electric commercial vehicles (36 t trailers) will hit the Swiss roads this year.
With the opening of the world's first AVIA hydrogen filling station in St. Gallen, the second public filling station in Switzerland begins operations after Coop in Hunzenschwil (since 2016). By the end of 2020 there will be six hydrogen filling stations available on the Lake Constance - Lake Geneva axis: in St. Gallen (SG), Rümlang (ZH), Hunzenschwil (AG), Zofingen (AG), Bern (BE) and Crissier (VD). They offer green hydrogen for commercial vehicles (350 bar) and passenger cars (700 bar). Osterwalder St. Gallen AG is the first gas station to offer green hydrogen with the name H2 ZERO.
Further scaling will take place from 2021 to 2025 with a total of 1,600 hydrogen electric commercial vehicles and a comprehensive hydrogen filling station network (by 2023). At the same time, the volume of passenger cars with environmentally friendly hydrogen-electric drives is expected to increase significantly. They only use green hydrogen, made from 100% renewable energy sources.
The new Swiss electric mobility system at a glance
Hydrospider, Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility (HHM), the H2 Mobility Switzerland support association and H2 Energy are currently developing emission-free electromobility in Switzerland. The basis for this is provided by a business ecosystem that brings together various players from the energy and mobility sectors in a privately organized system. Every area of this cycle, from the energy source to production to use in the electric vehicle, functions without CO2 emissions.
The closed cycle begins with the production of green hydrogen by Hydrospider AG. This takes place in advance in a new production facility at the Alpiq Gösgen hydroelectric power station (SO). The hydrogen is produced exclusively in Switzerland using electricity from renewable energies (water, sun, wind) - and is therefore emission-free and climate-friendly. This is completely green hydrogen that meets the SAE standard J2719.
Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility AG will import up to 1,600 fuel cell electric trucks by 2025. The first ten series trucks are on their way to Europe. Hydrogen supply, construction of commercial vehicles, infrastructure and filling station network for the first 50 Hyundai XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks are prepared. The 36 t trailer trains are expected to be on Swiss roads before the end of 2020. They are made available to transporters and logisticians according to the pay-per-use principle for the distribution of goods in Switzerland.
The members of the H2 Mobility Switzerland Association use the commercial vehicles and set up the nationwide refueling infrastructure with 350 bar and 700 bar (for commercial vehicles and passenger cars). The number of filling stations will be gradually increased in the coming years in order to supply the increasing volume of commercial vehicles with green hydrogen. By the end of 2020, hydrogen filling stations will be in operation in St.Gallen (SG), Rümlang (ZH), Hunzenschwil (AG, Zofingen (AG), Bern-Bethlehem (BE) and Crissier (VD). Green hydrogen will be available at various filling stations also sold under the name H2 ZERO.
H2 Energy AG as a business innovator, operates the central platform for the implementation of the mobility system (competence center for technology and business administration).
Hyundai and Toyota already offer standard electric passenger cars in Switzerland that are fueled with hydrogen.
The advantages of hydrogen electromobility for customers and the environment: local and independent production, emission-free mobility (steam instead of exhaust gases), drive with an electric motor (quiet and efficient), quick refueling (comparison with conventional vehicles) and a long range.
Hydrogen also has the advantage that it can be stored. "Power to Gas" is a central technology for integrating electricity from renewable sources such as hydropower, photovoltaics or wind into the energy system - including through use in the mobility sector.
Information about the H2 Mobility Switzerland support association and its members can be found at www.h2mobilitaet.ch< /u> to find.
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