Hydrogen ecosystem for emission-free mobility wins Watt d’Or 2021
Great honour for H2 Energy, Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility, Hydrospider and the H2 Mobility Switzerland Association: The hydrogen ecosystem for emission-free mobility launched by these partners receives the Watt d’Or 2021, the prestigious Swiss energy prize awarded by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, in the « Energy-efficient Mobility » category.
Hydrospider, Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility and the H2 Mobility Switzerland Association, at the initiative of hydrogen pioneer H2 Energy, are currently establishing a hydrogen ecosystem for emission-free mobility that is unique in Europe. By 2025, some 1,600 fuel-cell electric heavy-duty trucks by Hyundai will be on Switzerland’s roads. With its emission-free hydrogen cycle, the private business initiative is making a major contribution to the decarbonisation of heavy goods transport. This is because the green hydrogen used in the cycle is produced exclusively using power from renewable energies (hydro, solar and wind power) – making it climate-friendly and practically emission-free. The greenhouse gas emissions caused by heavy goods transport will be dramatically reduced: A fuel cell electric heavy-duty truck travelling around 80,000 km a year achieves an annual saving of 70 to 75 metric tons of CO2.
Watt d’Or: a golden reward and great incentive to tackle the next phase
« The Watt d’Or is a great honour for us. The snow globe will receive a special place in our company, » says Rolf Huber, a partner in H2 Energy Holding and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hydrospider and Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility. « This award from the Federal Office of Energy is the golden reward for the courage, persistence and commitment displayed by all involved in this pioneering project. Numerous key enterprises from a variety of sectors are working hand in hand in this partnership. Our aim is to make a contribution to the decarbonisation of transport, especially heavy goods transport, on the basis of green hydrogen. The Watt d’Or proves that we are on the right path and gives us a great incentive to tackle the next phase. »
2020: a year of milestones
Based on a private initiative, the business model was launched in 2018 and really gained momentum in 2020. At the beginning of October 2020, Hyundai’s first Xcient Fuel Cell Trucks were handed over to customers at the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne and have since been demonstrating their practicality in daily use. Hydrospider supplies the fuel. Hydrospider’s first production facility with a capacity of 2 MW was commissioned at Alpiq’s hydropower plant in Gösgen in the spring of 2020.
Members of the H2 Mobility Switzerland Association will use the trucks in day-to-day logistics operations and ensure the establishment of a national refuelling infrastructure. Avia Osterwalder opened its new hydrogen filling station in St. Gallen at the beginning of July 2020, joining the existing Coop filling station in Hunzenschwil. The Agrola hydrogen filling station in Zofingen then followed in the middle of October. A further five fuelling stations are currently in the planning phase with some having almost reached the commissioning stage.
The partners in the cross-sector hydrogen ecosystem
H2 Energy Holding AG, is a business innovator for renewable energies.
H2 Energy comprises experienced entrepreneurs and renowned technology experts. H2 Energy was founded in August 2014 with the goal of stopping climate change and making hydrogen from renewable energy a cornerstone of the energy system. At the beginning of December 2020, Trafigura, a globally leading commodity trader, invested in H2 Energy.
Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility AG, a joint venture between Hyundai and H2 Energy.
Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility AG is based in Switzerland. It is a partnership between Hyundai Motor Company, Korea and H2 Energy, the Swiss hydrogen pioneer. Its goal is to create a sustainable and environmentally-friendly future by providing emission-free commercial vehicles under a pay-per-use model.
Hydrospider AG, a joint venture between Alpiq, H2 Energy and Linde/PanGas.
Hydrospider safeguards production, procurement and logistics for green hydrogen from CO2-free production. Hydrospider was created in early 2019 from a partnership between the Swiss hydrogen pioneer H2 Energy and Alpiq, a leading Swiss electricity producer and energy service provider. The two companies each hold 45% of the shares in Hydrospider AG. The other 10% are held by the Linde Group of Germany. Linde is one of the world’s leading industrial gas and engineering companies and is active in more than 100 countries. In Switzerland, it operates under the name PanGas.
H2 Mobility Switzerland Association.
The H2 Mobility Switzerland Association has set itself the goal of establishing a nationwide network of hydrogen filling stations in Switzerland. In May 2018, Agrola AG, AVIA Vereinigung, Coop, Coop Mineraloel AG, fenaco Genossenschaft, Migrol AG and Migros-Genossenschaftsbund founded the association as a joint platform specifically in order to promote and accelerate the establishment of hydrogen mobility in Switzerland. In addition to the founding members, the following members also belong to the association: Camion Transport AG, Chr. Cavegn AG, Emil Frey Group, Emmi Schweiz AG, F. Murpf AG, Galliker AG, Gebrüder Weiss AG, G. Leclerc Transport AG, Schöni Transport AG, Shell New Fuels, Socar Energy Switzerland, Streck Transport AG, Tamoil SA, Von Bergen SA.
Further information on the Watt d’Or 2021:
