Author: marieke

The City of Copenhagen has inaugurated its first hydrogen fueling station. It has also unveiled eight new hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, comprising two work vehicles and six cars, that will refuel at the hydrogen station.

The inauguration sees Copenhagen pass the first milestone towards its ambitious goal of becoming the world’s first carbon-neutral capital city by 2025. Later this year Copenhagen will also acquire 25 electric cars, bringing the total number of environmentally friendly vehicles to 33.

‘Today we are putting Copenhagen on the map as a champion of clean transport,’ says Technology and Environment Mayor, Klaus Bondam. ‘Together with [fuel cell vehicle integrator] H2 Logic, Copenhagen is setting in motion the development of hydrogen transport in Denmark and in northern Europe, because the hydrogen filling station in Copenhagen will help provide future hydrogen-powered vehicles from Scandinavia and Germany with hydrogen.’

The hydrogen fuel cell vehicle project is the result of a collaboration between Denmark and Canada, both world leaders in the development of green technology. Canada is particularly strong in fuel cell technologies.

The project is being coordinated by Hydrogen Link, the Danish network for research, development and demonstration of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.

The project aims to provide impetus for developments in the area. The City of Copenhagen has therefore taken the lead with the acquisition of hydrogen vehicles, while industry partner H2 Logic has invested in the hydrogen fueling station for the fuel cell vehicles.

‘I think it is extremely important for us to launch as many projects as possible within sustainable transport solutions, so that we ensure broad coverage of the possibilities rather than focusing solely on one technology or another,’ says Lars Barfoed, Danish Minister for Transport.

The EHA, at a Stakeholder Consultation Meeting organised by DG Environment on Novemebr 10, on the review of the EU Seveso II Directive, asked the EU Commission more consideration of the use of hydrogen as an energy carrier in its environmental protection legislation. Current environmental legislation look at hydrogen only as an industrial gas and is not yet taken acoount the increasing use of hydorgen as a  clean energy carrier in transport and stationary energy systems. The EHA is closely following the review of the EU Integrated Pollution Prvention and Control Directive and the Seveso II Directive that applies to thousands of industrial establishments where dangeorus substances are present in quantities exceeding the treshold in the directive (for hydrogen 5 tons). more information on the Seveso II review process can be found at the Seveso II website. The EHA  reortt of the meeting is available for EHA members in the members section.