APEX: First hydrogen filling station for heavy-duty vehicles in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania goes into operation.
The first hydrogen filling station for heavy goods vehicles in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania was officially put into operation in Rostock-Laage. In the presence of Reinhard Meyer, Minister of Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Tourism and Labour MV, the Managing Director of the APEX Group, Peter Rößner, carried out the symbolic initial refuelling of a truck.
The facility, which is open around the clock, enables transport companies or logistics companies, for example, to refuel their vehicles at a public filling station and thus the emission-free transport of people and goods. The refuelling of hydrogen-powered cars is also possible at this filling station. The investment volume for the plant amounts to approximately three million euros.
The location at Rostock-Laage Airport is in the immediate vicinity of the A19 and the A20 motorway junction. Rostock’s overseas port can also be reached from here in just 30 minutes. Green hydrogen is refuelled, which is produced climate-neutrally at the APEX Group on site from its own electrolysis.
The daily capacity of the filling station is about 450 kg. Two heavy-duty vehicles and three cars can be refuelled back-to-back.
For the refuelling of heavy-duty vehicles with hydrogen (large quantities in a short time) a pressure of 350 bar is necessary. For passenger cars, the pressure is 700 bar, so that different fuel pumps are used for both vehicle classes.
The tank capacity of a bus or truck is about 37.5 kg, which corresponds to a range of 350 to 400 km. For passenger cars, a tank capacity of approx. five kg results in a range of up to 500 km. The cost of one kg of green hydrogen is 12.85, so that the full refueling of a heavy-duty vehicle costs around 475 euros, that of a car about 65 euros.
With the construction of the hydrogen filling station, the APEX Group is expanding the fuel range in the transport sector in a climate-friendly way. The operation of hydrogen-powered vehicles produces neither pollutants nor emissions.
Reinhard Meyer, Economics Minister on the occasion of the official commissioning of the plant, said:
Hydrogen is a very promising technology of the future. In areas where traffic cannot be avoided, it can help to significantly reduce CO2 emissions.
“We are pleased to be able to take a groundbreaking step towards the development of the necessary infrastructure here in Rostock-Laage with the opening of the first hydrogen filling station for heavy goods vehicles in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.”
Peter Rößner, Managing Director of the APEX Group, said:
Hydrogen technology plays a decisive role in the spread of electromobility.
“And this technology is ready for the market.”
“Long ranges, short refuelling times and good on-site storage capabilities are important criteria for this. In addition, refuelling hydrogen is just as easy as with conventional vehicles. As one of the pioneers of the green energy transition, we at APEX are of course pleased that we are the first to build a filling station with green hydrogen for heavy goods traffic in our state.”
Group picture l.t.r: Gunnar Scholtz – Head of Region East Land of DB Schenker, Reinhard Meyer – Minister of Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Tourism and Labour MV, APEX Group Managing Director Peter Rössner, Copyright: APEX.
About APEX Group:
The APEX Group is one of the pioneers of the green energy transition. The APEX Group. The company, headquartered in Rostock-Laage, enables its customers to convert their own and conventional energy supply to green hydrogen decentrally.
APEX accompanies project development, procurement and construction as well as management and maintenance. In recent years, the APEX Group has developed its own hydrogen pressure accumulators together with the Fraunhofer Institute to ensure a reliable supply.
Together with established research institutions (especially the Leibniz Institute for Catalysis), the Rostock-based company is currently developing the next major innovation: the chemical storage of hydrogen. In May 2021, the company commissioned Europe’s largest grid-connected hydrogen plant at the time. In this way, the APEX Group will supply the company site and the adjacent industrial park completely CO2-neutral.
In June 2022, the APEX Group was awarded the contract for EWE AG & swb AG in Bremen to build a ten megawatt electrolysis plant in order to put ArcelorMittal’s steel mill there on the way to CO2-neutral steel production. The pilot project to decarbonise the steel industry is one of the largest projects of its kind in Europe.
The APEX Group has already received several awards for its pioneering work. In 2021, the company won the German Renewable Award in the category “Hydrogen Innovation of the Year”. In 2020, under the patronage of Hamburg’s Mayor Dr. Peter Tschentscher, the APEX Group received the title “Doer of the Year” in the “Future” category.
READ the latest news shaping the hydrogen market at Hydrogen Central
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