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T he Clean Energy Partnership (CEP) in Berlin, Germany has opened its second publicly accessible hydrogen fueling station, at Heerstrasse in the suburb of Spandau. The hydrogen system is integrated into a newly erected conventional Total service station, and can refuel hydrogen buses and automobiles with liquid or gaseous hydrogen. The station provides a platform for the European HyFLEET:CUTE project, which will see a fleet of some 14 hydrogen buses in operation with the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) transit agency.
Since fall 2004, when the first CEP hydrogen station was opened at Messedamm in conjunction with Aral [FCB, January 2005], the CEP demonstration project has been carrying out sophisticated everyday operations without problems. The experiences of customers, technicians and operators will be evaluated in 2007 and presented to the public.
CEP is an international association comprising Aral, BMW, BVG, DaimlerChrysler, Ford, GM/Opel, Hydro, Linde, Total and Vattenfall Europe. The partnership is initially planned to run until December 2007. It is a component of the national sustainability strategy, and is sponsored by the German federal government.
The Berlin hydrogen demonstration project consists of the hydrogen infrastructure, including the fueling systems, the vehicle fleet currently comprising 16 hydrogen IC engine and fuel cell vehicles, a hydrogen information center and a service station for hydrogen vehicles. The CEP is experimenting with three different hydrogen production paths and three different hydrogen engines.
The new station is focused primarily on refueling the BVG's hydrogen-powered buses. In a second expansion step, a Linde steam reformer for the local production of hydrogen, and two stationary fuel cells for the supply of power and heat, will enter operation at the station in the summer.
At the opening ceremony Wolfgang Tiefensee, the German federal minister of transport, building and urban affairs, also announced a National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Innovation Program, to strengthen federal commitment with an extra 500m (US$610m) in research funding over the next 10 years, complemented by industrial support and EC research funds. The focus will be on construction and extension of pilot and demonstration projects -'Lighthouse Projects'.
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