World’s first multimodal hydrogen refuelling station opens in Antwerp
CMB.TECH, the innovation arm of the Saverys shipping empire, yesterday opened the world’s first multimodal green hydrogen refuelling station in Antwerp. The station produces hydrogen from water and green electricity with a 1.2MW electrolyser.
The hydrogen refuelling station was constructed at the Port House in Antwerp. CMB.TECH deliberately chose this location on the border between the city and the port to be able to supply hydrogen to the many industrial applications in the port on the one hand and on the other to keep it easily accessible to the general public.
In addition to the hydrogen refuelling station, CMB.TECH has also launched the first dual fuel truck running on hydrogen. CMB has many world firsts when it comes to hydrogen, including the 2017 launch of the Hydroville, a passenger ship powered by hydrogen.
“In future ports will become hydrogen hotspots, because they have a large concentration of applications that are difficult to electrify. In addition, many ports will have access to hydrogen, either through large electrolysis plants or through imports,” CMB predicted in a release yesterday.
The green hydrogen position is built on shifting sands. The catalyst required for electrolysis is in very short supply and known reserves ar well short of all of the world wide targets for green hydrogen production. This rather puts the skids under a lot of the projects trumpeted. In addition electrolysis is preferably undertaken on a continuous basis. Wind power is by definition intermittent.