The new Düsseldorf-Höherweg (HyLight3) project has now entered its construction phase. This project will become a filling station that is capable of providing two tonnes of hydrogen on a daily basis.

This station is being created through a collaboration between H2 Mobility Germany, Stadtwerke Düsseldorf and finally, the operator, Rheinbahn. The first goal of this project is to create a station that is able to fuel up to one hundred fuel cell-powered buses or trucks every day. This refuelling will occur at 350 bar to 700 bar for every vehicle.

The opening date of the station has not yet been officially announced; however Düsseldorf has stated that the project is aiming to be climate neutral within the transport sector by 2035. Furthermore, it has been agreed that Stadtwerke Düsseldorf will invest into an electrolyser to support the project and this electrolyser will produce hydrogen locally, from 2026. The hydrogen that it produces will be delivered via pipeline to its destination, the station in Düsseldorf. On top of this, Rheinbahm has also mentioned their plans of purchasing twenty fuel cell buses. This addition to their mobility sector, would result in its fleet being converted to zero emissions. This transition has already begun, as ten of these buses have already been delivered.

In order to make this all possible, the HyLight3 project will receive funding from the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV). This funding will come to an estimated $3.2m and it will be delivered as part of the National Innovation Programme Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Phase 2 (NIP2).

Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer (COO) at H2 Mobility Germany, Frank Fronzke, said that, ‘the partnership will have an “accelerating effect on the realisation of the transport transition.”’ He continued, saying, “Thanks to our patented refuelling technology, high-performance refuelling of several buses and trucks in a row is possible at three dispensers at the same time.”

Rheinbahn Board Member, Michael Richarz, commented that ‘the station will allow the operator to refuel its first 20 hydrogen buses in the immediate vicinity of its Lierenfeld depot.’