Linde, Daimler, EnBW, NOW, OMV, Shell, Total and Vattenfall sign MoU for "H2 Mobility" Initiative

Berlin, 10 September 2009 - Today leading industrial companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Berlin with the participation of the German Minister of Transport, Wolfgang Tiefensee. The agreement intends the evaluation of the setup of a hydrogen infrastructure in Germany so as to promote serial production of electric vehicles with fuel cell. This marks a major step towards the commercialisation of such locally emission-free vehicles. The partners of the initiative "H2 Mobility" are Linde, Daimler, EnBW, OMV, Shell, Total, Vattenfall and the NOW GmbH National Organisation Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology. Thereby the co-operation is also open for further partners interested in the project.
 
In recent years significant progress has been made in Germany with the development of hydrogen based technologies in the mobility sector, identifying the country as a potential start-market in the context of a broader European perspective. This has been made possible by the continuous commitment of a significant number of industrial stakeholders and comprehensive support by the German government with the common aim of preparing for the commercialisation of electric vehicles with fuel cell and embedding hydrogen- and fuel cell technologies in the future powertrain portfolio. Current demonstration projects like the Clean Energy Partnership involving fuel retail companies, utility providers and engineering companies have shown that the production, storage, transportation and deployment of efficient equipment for compressed gaseous hydrogen are technically feasible. Moreover, leading automobile manufacturers recently announced a joint statement on the development and market introduction of electric vehicles with fuel cell. From 2015 onwards they anticipate several hundred thousand units over life cycle on a worldwide basis. The MoU goes back to a joint initiative by Daimler and Linde aimed at providing sufficient hydrogen fuelling station infrastructure, which is the key to establishing electric vehicles with fuel cell on the market.
 
The MoU comprises two phases. Phase One includes the evaluation of options for an area-wide roll-out of hydrogen fuelling stations in Germany and the definition of a joint business plan agreement including an analysis of possible public support measures. In Phase One partners intend to leverage plans to install new hydrogen fuelling stations by 2011. This will take place within the framework of the German economic stimulus package (Konjunkturpaket II) and other national and state programmes to jointly address standardisation and cost reduction issues.
 
Subject to the positive and satisfactory outcome of such a business case agreement the partners will implement the corresponding action plan in Phase Two. The nation-wide roll-out of hydrogen fuelling stations will be continued, supporting the introduction of series produced hydrogen powered vehicles in Germany around 2015.
 

The hydrogen fuelling station infrastructure in Germany
The setup of a public hydrogen infrastructure is crucial for the successful introduction of fuel cell vehicles. First hydrogen centres have been established in urban agglomerations such as Berlin and Hamburg. Seven of the current thirty hydrogen fuelling stations in Germany are integrated into public gas stations. Germany thereby has a leading position regarding the hydrogen infrastructure in Europe. Already five to ten hydrogen fuelling stations can secure a first supply in a major city. By connecting those urban agglomerations -such as Berlin and Hamburg - with supply corridors on main arteries, the essential prerequisites for a nationwide development are created.
 
The fuel cell fleet
A fleet of 40 hydrogen vehicles is part of the Clean Energy Partnership (CEP) in the key regions Berlin and Hamburg. The CEP is aiming to demonstrate the suitability for daily use of hydrogen as an alternative fuel for vehicles and to test the infrastructure of hydrogen fuelling stations. Daimler already presented the first fuel cell vehicle in 1994. Since then the company invested more than one billion Euros into the development of fuel cells.  With more than 100 test vehicles and over 4.5 million kilometres of test runs, the automotive manufacturer from Stuttgart holds one of the largest fuel cell vehicle fleets of passenger cars and buses worldwide. The small series production of the B-Class F-CELL will start at the end of 2009. The first prototype of the new generation of fuel cell buses will also be presented this year.

Source: Linde AG