The group is due to receive the electrolyser system from Italy’s IMI, which will supply green hydrogen to an existing refuelling station at the site.

Stadtwerke opened the Innovation Park last year to support hybrid fuel cell-battery buses operated by Bielefeld-based transit firm moBiel. The buses can either be recharged directly by the site’s 27 charging points or refuelled with hydrogen.

Business Development Manager for IMI Vivo electrolysers, Dr Cornelia Neumann, said Stadtwerke’s facility was a “model” for other municipalities and operators struggling with grid capacity limits.

A timeline for bringing the electrolyser system online has not been disclosed.

While other applications have seen relatively low adoption, buses emerged as one of the earliest large-scale hydrogen mobility applications, driven by public procurement mandates and subsidy support.

European countries like Germany are required to procure a growing share of zero-emission buses under EU clean vehicle directives.

German fuel suppliers will also need to begin scaling their use of EU-certified green hydrogen for road mobility applications.

The government recently approved legally binding targets that could see green hydrogen make up 1.2% of transport energy by 2030.