Hamburg Hydrogen Initiative and Live H2 Refueling at H2Expo
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By Ines Freesen
Freesen & Partner, GmbH

Live hydrogen refueling will be one of H2Expo Hamburg's major attractions. On August 31 and September 1, 2005 attendees can witness how several vehicles are filled up with the emission-free fuel, including a new FC midi-bus and a fuel cell-powered 3-wheeler designed and built by a team of students. This year, for the first time the re-fueling will take place right in front of the convention center.

While at H2Expo's premiere in 2001, hydrogen had put the authorities at unease, Hamburg is now seen as a leader in pushing H2/FC commercialization in Europe. The CUTE bus project, initiated by public transport company Hochbahn and power supplier HEW/Vattenfall, has done its share to educate passengers and local government alike. According to a recent survey conducted by Hochbahn among 200 fuel cell bus passengers, 95% said they liked the concept and spoke out for a continuation and expansion of the project. Consequently, the stakeholders from Hamburg just agreed to intensify their efforts and to buy FC buses from other CUTE cities - the EU sponsored demonstration project which put 27 fuel cell buses on the streets of 9 European countries is scheduled to end in 2005. This means serious investment on behalf of the companies.

In 2009, Hamburg wants the next generation of DaimlerChrysler's H2-powered Citaro bus to drive through the city. But this is not the only thing happening in the capital of northern Germany. The so-called harbor city project foresees the installation of several stationary fuel cells and the operation of a steamer with FC propulsion. What is unique about this undertaking is the fact that innovative energy technologies were explicitly incorporated into the early planning stages. The Hamburg Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Initiative has been a major driver behind this. The group consists of Hochbahn, HEW/Vattenfall, H2Expo-organizer Hamburg Messe, Hamburg Airport, the Hamburg Senate, several companies and research facilities, and will be the largest exhibitor at the expo.

More information on the expo and the conference program, which focuses on aerospace & maritime applications and certification & listing issues is available on: www.h2expo.com


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