First European Lighthouse Project for Hydrogen Fuel Cars to Launch in Norway; 17 Fuel Cell Vehicles and Refueling Station in 2011
07 July 2010
The first EC-funded European Lighthouse Project (LHP) for hydrogen fuel cell cars will launch in Oslo, Norway in 2011 with 17 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and a large scale hydrogen refuelling station by H2 Logic.
Named H2moves Scandinavia (after H2moves.eu, the cluster of European demonstration projects on hydrogen for transport), the project will be the first large scale demonstration project supported by the newly established European Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking Program. (Earlier post.) This collaborative public private partnership whose total budget amounts to €1 billion (US$1.26 billion) to be invested by 2014 supports the H2moves project together with national funds from the Norwegian Transnova program and the Danish EUDP programme as well as industry contributions.
The goal of the project is to advance the commercialization of hydrogen for transport in Scandinavia as well as connecting the region with the strong German initiatives within the area. The project has a budget of €19.5 million (US$25 million) financed by company contributions as well as European and national funding from Norway and Denmark.
Ten Mercedes-Benz B-class F-Cell Cars; two Alfa Romeo MiTo fuel cell vehicles from Centro Ricerche FIAT (Italy); and five electric city cars with fuel cell range extension from H2 Logic (Denmark) will be provided in 2011 for daily operation in Oslo and on specific tours in southern Norway and the whole Scandinavian region.
The Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL offers performance on a par with a 2.0-liter gasoline car due to its 100 kW/136 hp electric motor, which develops torque of 290 Nm (214 lb-ft). The B-Class F-CELL consumes the equivalent of 3.3 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers (71.3 mpg US) in the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC). (Earlier post.)
The Alfa Romeo MiTo Fuel Cell car uses a Nuvera Fuel Cell stack combined with a compact Li-ion traction battery pack to supply power to the electric motor; this allows the vehicle to reach a top speed of 150 km/h (93 mph) and to accelerate from 0 to 100 kilometers in 10 sec, with hydrogen consumption of 3.2 liters diesel equivalent/100 km (74 mpg US) and a range of 450 kilometers (280 miles) in NEDC, thanks to 700 bar H2 tanks.
The hydrogen supply will be based on a combination of onsite production and trucked-in hydrogen, all based on Norwegian electricity of which more than 90% is based on renewable hydro and wind power.
During the project some of the fuel cell vehicles will be employed on a European hydrogen vehicle demonstration tour, coordinated by Hydrogen Sweden and in collaboration with the European Regions’ and Municipalities’ Partnership on Hydrogen and Fuel Cells (HyRaMP). For the on-site refuelling of hydrogen during the vehicle demonstration tours H2 Logic will also develop a mobile hydrogen refuelling concept for provision of almost 100% CO2 free hydrogen.
A safety and certification study will be carried out by TÜV SÜD, (Germany) and SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden to identify the certification gaps in Scandinavia to accelerate full commercialization of vehicles and fuelling stations.
The project’s performance will be monitored and assessed versus benchmarks set in the beginning. Results will be disseminated through a set of public reports. Communication with the JTI Programme Office, interested stakeholders and the public will be pursued.
Good, let the Euros spend a $billion testing FC. I hope the money gets them far beyond 17 vehicles.
Posted by: kelly | 07 July 2010 at 06:20 AM
Yes and when the Europeans have developed and demonstrated a practical FCV with supporting infrastructure we'll still be fighting perpetual wars for perpetual peace.
Posted by: Mannstein | 07 July 2010 at 01:59 PM
"..when the Europeans have developed and demonstrated a practical FCV with supporting infrastructure.." unless the US is run by Republicans then - we'll have noticed a practical FCV system..
Posted by: kelly | 07 July 2010 at 03:23 PM
The rest of the world is striding forward with the hydrogen rollout and US Secretary of Energy, Stephen Chu is holding the US back. I wonder who is right, Stephen Chu or the rest of the world?
Posted by: Lawrence Weisdorn | 07 July 2010 at 04:00 PM
the fact is we need to pursue ALL viable alternatives to petroleum fuels if we want Energy Independence. If the big oils want to subsidize Detroit to build FC vehicles and subsidize their sales while accepting massive losses per vehicle - fine. If big oil wants to produce, compress and distribute H2 at their O&O gas stations - fine. Let em.
They still gotto convince the American public that trekking to the gas station for H2 is easier than plugging in your car at home - at far cheaper rates.
Posted by: Reel$$ | 07 July 2010 at 04:24 PM
We're living in the seventh year of the Bush Hydrogen Initiative kids. Let something more than an auto maker handout technology get the most funds.
Posted by: kelly | 08 July 2010 at 07:50 AM
Note too that Norway is the major motivator here. Norway hosts the world's second largest oil income Trust fund totaling nearly $500B - the Petroleum Fund of Norway. They are very interested in developing a global H2 infrastructure that will deliver more income to their fund.
Posted by: Reel$$ | 09 July 2010 at 08:07 AM