Hydrogen fuels – a stunning alternative energy source to reduce emissions
| Hydrogen is an energy carrier with great potential for clean, efficient power in transport. It is envisaged as a significant element of the future fuel mix for transport, enhancing energy security, reducing oil dependency, greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. As you may know, the EU has mandated that from 2025, heavy-duty vehicles are getting strict limitations set on their CO2 emissions – from 2025 a cut of 15% is required and by 2030 their emissions need to be cut by 30%. Large lorries account for 65-70% of all CO2 emissions from heavy-duty vehicles. At Howden, a global leader in manufacturing air and gas handling solutions from Scotland, they believe hydrogen is the solution for long-range mobility in the future, and they have developed a range of products to facilitate the re-fuelling of FCEV’s. According to its NECP, Slovakia also considers the “use of decarbonised gases and hydrogen” as a way to “ensure environmental sustainability”. Slovakia considers hydrogen as a “very promising fuel” and a good option (also regarding air quality) to replace fossil fuels in the transport sector. And we can already see some results. For example, Scania, in its efforts to move towards sustainable transport, is also working on developments in this area. In cooperation with the Norwegian wholesaler Asko, it tests hydrogen-powered trucks. From the customer’s perspective the main issues that prevent widespread adoption of private FCEVs, especially compared to other electric vehicles that have successfully broken into the market, are their price and the availability of hydrogen refuelling stations. Hydrogen filling stations did not exist in Slovakia until now. The Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic should build them in 2021 in Bratislava and Košice. The future of hydrogen in our market is also supported by the great interest of Slovak entrepreneurs who have signed up to a record number of 32 projects in the IPCEI call in the field of hydrogen technologies. Hydrogen trucks are likely to become another important environmental platform in addition to electric ones. Are you a skeptic? Perhaps we will soon see which trend will prevail. |