€100M H2ME 2 launches: 2nd pan-European deployment of H2 refueling infrastructure and fuel cell vehicles
14 June 2016
A second pan-European deployment of hydrogen refueling infrastructure, and passenger and commercial fuel cell electric vehicles has now launched. The six-year H2ME 2 project brings together 37 partners from across Europe.
H2ME 2 will include the deployment and operation of 1,230 fuel cell vehicles, the addition of 20 extra hydrogen-refueling stations (HRS) to the European network and will test the ability of electrolyzer-HRS to help balance the electrical grid. The project has been developed under the auspices of the Hydrogen Mobility Europe (H2ME) initiative and supported by the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) with funding from the European Union Horizon 2020 program.
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| H2ME 2 partners. Click to enlarge. |
The H2ME 2 project takes its name from Hydrogen Mobility Europe (H2ME), a collaboration between national H2 Mobility initiatives from across Europe which aims to coordinate European activities and helps support the early roll-out of hydrogen vehicles across Europe.
The H2ME 2 project will complement and build on a first FCH JU-funded project developed by H2ME partners, H2ME 1, which was announced in September 2015, with plans for 300 fuel cell vehicles and 29 HRS. Together, the H2ME projects will form the largest EU funded project for hydrogen mobility and FCEV deployment.
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| Map of H2ME 1 deployments. Click to enlarge. |
The €100-million (US$112-million) H2ME 2 project, funded with a further €35-million (US$39-million) grant from the FCH JU, will significantly expand the European hydrogen vehicles fleet and in so doing, aims to confirm the technical and commercial readiness of vehicles, fuelling stations and hydrogen production techniques.
H2ME 2 will produce recommendations and identify any gaps that may prevent full commercialisation, as well as collating results to support future investments. Together the H2ME 1 and H2ME 2 projects demonstrate the breadth and depth of the commitment to hydrogen-fueled road transport as a pan-European solution to the need to have viable, competitive, alternatives to fossil fuels.
Another major step to promote FCEVs and H2 stations and grid balancing in many EU countries.
It seems that Germany may be the leader?
Posted by: HarveyD | 14 June 2016 at 08:51 AM
With Scandinavia hot on their heels.
The very generous tax exemption in Norway and FCEVs greater performance in cold weather than BEVs should make that the leader in terms of percentages of vehicle sales.
Posted by: Davemart | 14 June 2016 at 11:57 AM
Are you nuts? nissan just realeased an ethanol reformer for hydrogen fuelcell, 100x less cost...Stop investing in a pure gaseous hydrogen infrastructure.
Posted by: gorr | 14 June 2016 at 06:00 PM
As if now is a good time to throw away three quarters of our hard won electricity compared to the alternative....
Posted by: clett | 15 June 2016 at 07:43 AM
Gor, I think that's your best post ever.
Posted by: electric-car-insider.com | 15 June 2016 at 12:51 PM
Hydrogen is coming and the sky is falling.
Posted by: Mannstein | 15 June 2016 at 08:04 PM