OMV opens the first public hydrogen filling station in Austria

19 October 2012

Austria-based oil and gas company OMV opened the first public hydrogen filling station in Vienna, Austria. OMV has been researching the alternative drive concept for vehicles with hydrogen and fuel cells for several years.

The focus of the OMV filling station on Shuttleworthstraße was on a massive reduction in electricity consumption and the complete replacement of conventional heating systems.

The filling station has been provided with an integrated cooling, air conditioning and heating system with energy recovery. This technology enables the filling station to be operated without relying on any traditional heating energy.

All lighting elements were mostly equipped with LEDs—a major contribution considering that the lighting is used for 24 hours, 365 days of the year. The car wash at the filling station has been equipped with solar energy panels that serve to provide hot water and heat the car wash both internally and externally.

In addition, blinds have been installed to help reduce the amount of energy used for cooling.

Through the use of these latest technologies, the filling station could achieve a reduction in CO₂ emissions by at least 30 tons a year. Compared with conventional filling stations, this would mean a reduction in energy costs of around 50%. The prototype on Shuttleworthstraße provides OMV with an test laboratory for further “green stations”. All measures tested there should—if they prove efficient and economic—in future be adopted and implemented as standard for the construction of new filling stations and the redevelopment of existing ones.