Capable of providing 1,000kg of hydrogen per day via three dispensers, the refuelling station served Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr (rnv) 27 fuel cell range extender buses.

As part of the gradual commissioning, cars and trucks will be able to refuel publicly at 700 and 350 bar, respectively, at Wieblinger Weg 92 from May 2024 and then on the road by June. The station will then also be used by Heidelberg’s waste collection service.

All the H2-eCitaro buses will be parked and refuelled with hydrogen at the depot and charged with electricity, with the project volume cost for the new depot resulting in €24.5m, including planning costs. The public hydrogen refuelling station and parts of the infrastructure are expected to be funded by the Ministry for Environment, Climate Protection and Energy sector via the H2Rhein-Neckar hydrogen demonstration project.

The Ministry for Environment, Climate Protection and Energy State Secretary, Dr Andre Baumann, explained, “Thanks to the €16.7m funding for the H2Rhein-Neckar project from the Bade-Württemberg Ministry of Environment, hydrogen can be experienced locally by citizens in climate-friendly local public transport.”

H2Mobility plans to build and operate further public hydrogen refuelling stations in Mannheim by the summer 2024, Frankenthal by the end of 2024 and Ludwigshafen by the start of 2025.

“The size and capacity of the new stations represent a new generation of H2 refuelling stations,” said Frank Fronzke, Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of H2Mobility.

“The location in Heidelberg and the upcoming new openings demonstrate the importance of partnerships with local players who are determined to drive forward the mobility transition.”

rnv is procuring 13 additional H2 eCitaros for use in Mannheim and eight for Ludwigshafen, along with testing hydrogen fuel cell technology in waste collection vehicles.