Air Liquide and the Port of Rotterdam Authority launch initiative for hydrogen road transport
Air Liquide and the Port of Rotterdam Authority announce the launch of a jointly created initiative, which aims at enabling 1,000 hydrogen-powered zero-emission trucks on the roads connecting the Netherlands, Belgium, and West Germany by 2025, Port of Rotterdam said in its release. Several partners representing the whole supply chain, from truck manufacturers such as VDL Groep, Iveco/Nikola to transport companies Vos Logistics, Jongeneel Transport and HN Post, as well as leading fuel cell suppliers have already agreed to join. This is one of the largest projects in Europe for the development of hydrogen trucks and related infrastructure and will contribute to improve air quality by reducing by an estimated amount of more than 100,000 tonnes CO2 emissions per year, which is equivalent to 110 million kilometers driven.
Air Liquide
In order to have 1,000 Hydrogen-powered trucks on the road, out of which 500 are expected to be based in the Port of Rotterdam area, the related infrastructure needs to be developed and deployed, which envisages 25 high capacity hydrogen stations to connect the Netherlands, Belgium, and West Germany. The project also aims to include the necessary electrolysis capacity to produce low carbon hydrogen. The companies represented in the initiative will jointly perform the feasibility study of this whole value chain.
To date, the project counts partners with complementary expertise, including hydrogen production, distribution through filling stations, truck manufacturers, transport companies, and fuel cell manufacturers for heavy-duty applications. Air Liquide and the Port of Rotterdam expect as well as invite more parties to join this initiative in the coming months. Together they will contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions of road transportation with hydrogen as a clean and sustainable alternative energy carrier. The final investment decision by the project partners is expected at the end of 2022.
