The ‘world’s first’ multimodal hydrogen refueling station was opened by CMB.TECH (the cleantech division of Compagnie Maritime Belge) in Antwerp, Belgium earlier this month.
The station, which is producing green hydrogen to power ships, tube trailers, cars,
trucks and buses, has been built at the Port House in Antwerp in order to supply hydrogen to the many industrial applications in the port, while keeping it easily accessible to the general public.
Electricity and water are converted into hydrogen via the electrolyser. Via a compressor, this hydrogen is pumped to a very high pressure into different buffers. These buffers ensure that a car, truck or ship can refuel. In addition to the refuelling station, the site also contains two trailer docks through which the ecologically produced hydrogen can be pumped to trailers which can supply the port applications, also developed by CMB.TECH, with hydrogen. The site also boasts a number of ultra fast (less than 15 minute) charging stations for electric cars.
Roy Campe, CTO at CMB.TECH said:
“With the realization of the hydrogen refueling station, CMB.TECH proves that it is able to control the entire chain, from the production of the green fuel to the use of hydrogen in various applications. The concept will be further refined in the coming months and is ready to be scaled up.
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.
We are therefore very pleased that, after two and a half years of development, we are now able to put the station into operation.”
In addition to the hydrogen station, CMB.TECH has launched the first dual fuel truck running on hydrogen – the Lenoir – named after Étienne Lenoir, a French-speaking Belgian who in 1860 built the first internal combustion engine powered by hydrogen.
For more information please visit www.cmb.tech.Â
