Periodic Reporting for period 5 - H2ME 2 (Hydrogen Mobility Europe 2)
Reporting period: 2021-01-01 to 2022-08-31
H2ME 2 brings together actions in 8 countries to address the innovations required to make the hydrogen mobility sector truly ready for market. The project will perform a large-scale market test of hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, passenger and commercial fuel cell electric vehicles operated in real-world applications and demonstrate the system benefits generated by using electrolytic hydrogen solutions in grid operations.
H2ME 2 is the natural successor to the H2ME 1 project. Taken in conjunction, the projects are the most ambitious coordinated hydrogen deployment project attempted globally.
The increased scale of this deployment under H2ME 2 will allow the consortium to:
•Deploy over 1100 new FCEVS across a range of platforms, with increased participation from European car manufacturers allowing for an increased choice of vehicles – trebling the existing fuel cell fleet in Europe
•Test 20 new HRS rigorously, aiming for high level of utilisation (with some exceeding 50%) using the large FCEVS deployment. This will test the HRS to a much greater extent than has been possible in previous projects
•Establish the conditions for the hydrogen mobility sector to support the wider European energy system via electrolytic hydrogen production, by deploying 10 electrolyser-HRS and analysing a subset of these demonstrating the acquisition of real revenues from provision of energy services
•Provide the evidence base that a wide range of FCEVs and HRS are technically and commercially ready for widespread market introduction.
H2ME 2 is the natural successor to the H2ME 1 project. Taken in conjunction, the projects are the most ambitious coordinated hydrogen deployment project attempted globally.
The increased scale of this deployment under H2ME 2 will allow the consortium to:
•Deploy over 1100 new FCEVS across a range of platforms, with increased participation from European car manufacturers allowing for an increased choice of vehicles – trebling the existing fuel cell fleet in Europe
•Test 20 new HRS rigorously, aiming for high level of utilisation (with some exceeding 50%) using the large FCEVS deployment. This will test the HRS to a much greater extent than has been possible in previous projects
•Establish the conditions for the hydrogen mobility sector to support the wider European energy system via electrolytic hydrogen production, by deploying 10 electrolyser-HRS and analysing a subset of these demonstrating the acquisition of real revenues from provision of energy services
•Provide the evidence base that a wide range of FCEVs and HRS are technically and commercially ready for widespread market introduction.
Key progress during the 5th year of the project includes:
• Progress was made regarding infrastructure deployment, with 3 HRS commissioned in total. Overall, the H2ME initiative has deployed 39 HRS in 8 countries to date.
• 43 HRS report data to H2ME (30 H2ME, 9 H2ME2, and four non-project that committed to report to the project in the DoA), compared to 39 HRS in P4. HRS reporting to H2ME have now dispensed 377t (P4: 165 tonnes) in 148 600 refuelling events (P4: 77 100). Six stations have dispensed over 10t as shown in the figure below, accounting for 61% of the H2ME total.
• Progress was made regarding vehicle deployment, with 680 vehicles deployed to date by Symbio, Mercedes, Toyota, Honda and the end-users involved in the project. Overall, the H2ME initiative has deployed 1,019 vehicles in 10 countries to date.
• 12/20 HRS under H2ME2 have been deployed by P4.
• Toyota’s deployment has progressed in Denmark and Norway but partners have faced administrative issues and a challenging market.
• Procurement vehicles have in majority been delivered to customers with the exception of deployment in Paris which has been halted over the last 9 months, this has been resumed at the end of P5 with delivery to customers continuing.
• H2ME 1 and 2 project vehicles have reported a total of over 25m km driven since 2015 (16m in P4):
o H2ME2 vehicles: 14.2 m km driven to date and 7.9m km in P5 (P4 value: 6.3 m km).
o H2ME1 vehicles: 10.7m km driven to date and 1.9m km in P5 (P4 value: 8.8 m km).
o Other non-project vehicles have reported an additional ~200,000 km driven.
o The large increase in distance driven in the period is mainly due to additional end-user vehicle deployments, particularly use as taxis.
• 13 reports were produced and submitted by the cross-cutting work package with all public deliverables available on the project website.
• The project has been presented at a series of European events and organised events to dissemination findings, including the Connecting Europe Days (June 2022).
Key findings during the 5th year of the project include:
• Overall, all HRS and some vehicle deployments have been delayed at a critical stage in the project. There were several barriers that affected the consortium’s ability to make progress against project targets in period 5, these include Covid-19 related delays which were exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on:
o Permitting and commissioning of HRS’: The backlog of permitting that started because key personnel could not visit stations to validate tests, continues to delay station openings. These individuals are often required to travel between countries, so the decrease of global travel allowance slowed progress. Permitting of stations has also slowed down and can now take many months, this was not foreseen when the project was initiated.
o Supply chain and access to materials: Lead times on equipment delivery have increased to as long as 12 months for delivery of materials to build stations. Up to 20% of suppliers and transportation are looking at working more locally since the impact of covid-19 made working internationally more difficult. This has created new disruptions to an already disrupted situation. Particularly the last-mile sections of supply chains.
o Semiconductor & microchip shortage: In 2021-2022 the shortage cost the European automotive industry nearly EUR 100 billion . Nearly 18 million fewer vehicles have been produced globally, with the EU OEMs being affected particularly by the shortages.
• The 43 hydrogen refuelling stations reporting to H2ME have dispensed 377 tonnes of H2 in more than 148 000 refuelling events.
• 32% of HRS are exceeding the availability target of 98%.
• Progress was made regarding infrastructure deployment, with 3 HRS commissioned in total. Overall, the H2ME initiative has deployed 39 HRS in 8 countries to date.
• 43 HRS report data to H2ME (30 H2ME, 9 H2ME2, and four non-project that committed to report to the project in the DoA), compared to 39 HRS in P4. HRS reporting to H2ME have now dispensed 377t (P4: 165 tonnes) in 148 600 refuelling events (P4: 77 100). Six stations have dispensed over 10t as shown in the figure below, accounting for 61% of the H2ME total.
• Progress was made regarding vehicle deployment, with 680 vehicles deployed to date by Symbio, Mercedes, Toyota, Honda and the end-users involved in the project. Overall, the H2ME initiative has deployed 1,019 vehicles in 10 countries to date.
• 12/20 HRS under H2ME2 have been deployed by P4.
• Toyota’s deployment has progressed in Denmark and Norway but partners have faced administrative issues and a challenging market.
• Procurement vehicles have in majority been delivered to customers with the exception of deployment in Paris which has been halted over the last 9 months, this has been resumed at the end of P5 with delivery to customers continuing.
• H2ME 1 and 2 project vehicles have reported a total of over 25m km driven since 2015 (16m in P4):
o H2ME2 vehicles: 14.2 m km driven to date and 7.9m km in P5 (P4 value: 6.3 m km).
o H2ME1 vehicles: 10.7m km driven to date and 1.9m km in P5 (P4 value: 8.8 m km).
o Other non-project vehicles have reported an additional ~200,000 km driven.
o The large increase in distance driven in the period is mainly due to additional end-user vehicle deployments, particularly use as taxis.
• 13 reports were produced and submitted by the cross-cutting work package with all public deliverables available on the project website.
• The project has been presented at a series of European events and organised events to dissemination findings, including the Connecting Europe Days (June 2022).
Key findings during the 5th year of the project include:
• Overall, all HRS and some vehicle deployments have been delayed at a critical stage in the project. There were several barriers that affected the consortium’s ability to make progress against project targets in period 5, these include Covid-19 related delays which were exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on:
o Permitting and commissioning of HRS’: The backlog of permitting that started because key personnel could not visit stations to validate tests, continues to delay station openings. These individuals are often required to travel between countries, so the decrease of global travel allowance slowed progress. Permitting of stations has also slowed down and can now take many months, this was not foreseen when the project was initiated.
o Supply chain and access to materials: Lead times on equipment delivery have increased to as long as 12 months for delivery of materials to build stations. Up to 20% of suppliers and transportation are looking at working more locally since the impact of covid-19 made working internationally more difficult. This has created new disruptions to an already disrupted situation. Particularly the last-mile sections of supply chains.
o Semiconductor & microchip shortage: In 2021-2022 the shortage cost the European automotive industry nearly EUR 100 billion . Nearly 18 million fewer vehicles have been produced globally, with the EU OEMs being affected particularly by the shortages.
• The 43 hydrogen refuelling stations reporting to H2ME have dispensed 377 tonnes of H2 in more than 148 000 refuelling events.
• 32% of HRS are exceeding the availability target of 98%.
Advancement in commercialisation strategies
• Industry, SMEs and University collaboration - 49 organisations
• Gather evidences for new deployment and business cases
o Focus on co-location of demand and HRS usage for different vehicles type
o For vehicles, small and large fleet (>100)
• Development of new technologies and services
o Maintenance strategies for HRS
o Payment by card and app increasingly common
o Fleet uses validated for taxi and carsharing
Technical advancements
• Building a rich dataset valuable for Europe
o Achieved since 2016 (as of Q1 2020)
o 25 million km driven
o 377t of H2 distributed (148 000 refuelling events)
• Deployment of new fuel cell electric vehicles models and hydrogen refueling stations technologies:
o 10 station and electrolyser manufacturers working on continuous stations and electrolysers improvements
o Mercedes-Benz GLC, Hyundai Nexo, new model of Renault Kangoo Z.E. Hydrogen (by Symbio), HK0 (by Symbio) and Toyota Mirai (Generation 2)
• Testing in real work conditions
o Product ready for commercialisation
o Max HRS load reaching 45%. Many (32%) of the individual HRS are exceeding the availability target of 98%, the overall project average is below that at 94.5% at the end of Period 5. Stations are able to deliver fast fills back-to-back. The average time spent stopped at the refueller is typically under five minutes
High visibility first of a kind initiative
• Largest European deployment to date for hydrogen mobility: 43 HRS and 1,019 vehicles have been deployed in 10 countries incl. 20% of German national network
• Largest European deployment to date for hydrogen mobility: 100 Fuel Cell taxis in Paris and Copenhagen, 50 Fuel Cell Range Extender vans
• First deployment with European vehicles OEMs: First deployment for Daimler/Mercedes and Symbio
• Cross countries events: H2ME vehicles took a 6,000km road trip through Europe showing the advantages of the technology
• Industry, SMEs and University collaboration - 49 organisations
• Gather evidences for new deployment and business cases
o Focus on co-location of demand and HRS usage for different vehicles type
o For vehicles, small and large fleet (>100)
• Development of new technologies and services
o Maintenance strategies for HRS
o Payment by card and app increasingly common
o Fleet uses validated for taxi and carsharing
Technical advancements
• Building a rich dataset valuable for Europe
o Achieved since 2016 (as of Q1 2020)
o 25 million km driven
o 377t of H2 distributed (148 000 refuelling events)
• Deployment of new fuel cell electric vehicles models and hydrogen refueling stations technologies:
o 10 station and electrolyser manufacturers working on continuous stations and electrolysers improvements
o Mercedes-Benz GLC, Hyundai Nexo, new model of Renault Kangoo Z.E. Hydrogen (by Symbio), HK0 (by Symbio) and Toyota Mirai (Generation 2)
• Testing in real work conditions
o Product ready for commercialisation
o Max HRS load reaching 45%. Many (32%) of the individual HRS are exceeding the availability target of 98%, the overall project average is below that at 94.5% at the end of Period 5. Stations are able to deliver fast fills back-to-back. The average time spent stopped at the refueller is typically under five minutes
High visibility first of a kind initiative
• Largest European deployment to date for hydrogen mobility: 43 HRS and 1,019 vehicles have been deployed in 10 countries incl. 20% of German national network
• Largest European deployment to date for hydrogen mobility: 100 Fuel Cell taxis in Paris and Copenhagen, 50 Fuel Cell Range Extender vans
• First deployment with European vehicles OEMs: First deployment for Daimler/Mercedes and Symbio
• Cross countries events: H2ME vehicles took a 6,000km road trip through Europe showing the advantages of the technology