Hydrogen Fueling Stations: Europe Market Scenario, Trends, Opportunity, Growth and Forecast, 2020-2030

Market Definition

The refined version of raw biogas, known as Hydrogen Fueling Stations, can replace natural gas in some applications. Hydrogen Fueling Stations, commonly referred to as “renewable natural gas,” is a nearly pure form of methane that can be created by either “upgrading” biogas (a method that gets rid of any CO2 and other pollutants) or by gasifying solid biomass and then methanating it.

Market Insights

Hydrogen refueling stations must be part of the infrastructure needed in the European region to support hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Automobiles powered by hydrogen fuel cells have lately emerged as an alternative to traditional gasoline and diesel vehicles. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are seen as a greener and more efficient alternative because they emit no pollution.

The development of hydrogen fuel cell technology’s infrastructure and automotive industry has been led by Europe. The European Union has set ambitious goals for the development of a hydrogen refueling infrastructure and the use of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. By 2030, the European Commission hopes to have 100,000 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on the road and 10,000 hydrogen recharging facilities dispersed across the continent.

The two main ways to produce hydrogen in Europe are on-site production and off-site production. On-site hydrogen production uses renewable energy sources like solar or wind power to produce the gas. Off-site produced hydrogen is made at a central location and then transported to the fuelling station.

The most common kind of hydrogen fuelling station in Europe is the compressed hydrogen station, which can pressurize hydrogen gas to a pressure of up to 700 bar. In a different type of hydrogen fueling station, hydrogen gas is cooled to a temperature of -253°C and kept in a liquid state for storage. Hydrogen can be obtained by fuel cell vehicles from any station.

The cost of constructing hydrogen filling stations in Europe might be high due to regional infrastructure and equipment needs. However, the cost of manufacturing hydrogen has decreased as the usage of renewable energy sources increases and technology for producing hydrogen improves.

In terms of the spread of hydrogen fuelling stations across Europe, Germany has the most stations—more than 100. There are other countries with a substantial number of stations, including the Netherlands, France, Italy, and the U.K. However, few or no hydrogen refueling facilities are still present in many European nations.

The development of infrastructure for hydrogen refueling is generally required for the widespread deployment of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in the European region. The European Commission’s ambitious aims and the rising demand for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are expected to lead to a rise in the number of hydrogen fuelling stations in Europe over the coming years.

By 2022, Germany will have roughly 105 hydrogen fueling stations running, making it one of the countries with the most advanced hydrogen infrastructure. Large cities like Berlin, Hamburg, and Stuttgart are where you may find the most of these stations. The construction of hydrogen infrastructure fuelling stations and major financial efforts in research and development have been made by the German government. Additionally, private companies like Total, Air Liquide, and Linde have helped create hydrogen refueling stations.

There are two main types of hydrogen filling stations: 700-bar stations and 350-bar stations. 700-bar stations can offer higher fueling pressures, enabling faster refill times. They are more expensive to build and keep upkeep-wise than the 350-bar stations. Currently, the majority of hydrogen filling stations in Germany are 700-bar stations, however there is a trend to build more 350-bar stations to improve accessibility.

In Germany, there are three main ways to get hydrogen: directly on-site, from a centralized production facility, or by delivery from a third party. For on-site manufacture, hydrogen is produced using natural gas or electricity using a hydrogen generator. Delivery from a central production plant includes transporting hydrogen from a large-scale production facility to the fuelling station through a pipeline or vehicle. In order to deliver from a third-party source, hydrogen must be obtained from a different facility, like a chemical plant.

Over the next few years, Germany has ambitious plans to significantly increase the number of hydrogen refueling stations around the nation. The government hopes to have 400 hydrogen fuelling stations up and running by 2025. Furthermore, it is believed that Germany will be crucial in helping the European Union reach its 2030 objective of establishing 1,000 hydrogen fuelling stations across the continent.

Market Dynamics: Drivers

Increasing Funds in Hydrogen Fueling Stations

The amount of money available at hydrogen filling stations increases when new financial resources are acquired to build, enhance, or update hydrogen fuelling infrastructure. The broad adoption of fuel cell cars, which use hydrogen to generate power with the only byproduct being water vapor, depends on the availability of hydrogen fuelling stations. Money can be raised for hydrogen fueling stations using a variety of strategies. Getting public funding from national or international organizations to finance the development of infrastructure for hydrogen fueling is one strategy. This can be done using grants, loans, or tax incentives. Another option is to solicit private funding from companies ready to build and operate hydrogen filling stations. This can be done through partnerships or joint ventures where investors put their money and expertise into building and running the stations.

Raising awareness and demand for fuel cell vehicles can also help in attracting finance for hydrogen fuelling stations as it creates a market for the infrastructure. This can be done via organizing with stakeholders including manufacturers, energy providers, and infrastructure providers, as well as through public awareness campaigns, financial incentives for fuel cell vehicle purchases, and other means. Increased investment in hydrogen fuelling stations is necessary due to the increased usage of fuel cell vehicles, which can help lower greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality.

Intensifying Demand for Clean Energy

Clean energy is described as energy sources that release little to no greenhouse gases and other pollutants. These sources can include low-carbon energy sources like nuclear power and hydrogen, as well as renewable energy sources like solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal energy. The need for clean energy is growing due to worries about climate change, air pollution, and energy security.

By 2030, the European Union wants to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 55% and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Energy storage technology advancements are making it possible to store renewable energy and use it when needed, which can help to address the intermittent nature of some renewable energy sources. Renewable energy sources like solar and wind power are also becoming more and more cost-competitive with conventional fossil fuels and are being adopted at a rapid rate. Innovation in technology and public policy is also fueled by the rising demand for sustainable energy. Many companies are also setting clean energy goals, with some stating that they would soon use only renewable energy. The switch to clean energy is being sped up by policies like carbon pricing, renewable energy requirements, and energy efficiency regulations. Overall, there is a growing need for clean energy, which is a trend that may help to address some of the most pressing environmental and energy problems the world is now facing.

Market Segmentation

• Based on Station Size, the Europe Hydrogen Fueling Stations market is segmented into
  • Small stations
  • Medium stations
  • Large stations
• Based on Pressure, the Europe Hydrogen Fueling Stations market is segmented into
  • Low pressure
  • High pressure
• Based on Station Type, the Europe Hydrogen Fueling Stations market is segmented into
  • Fixed
  • Mobile
• Based on Installation Type, the Europe Hydrogen Fueling Stations market is segmented into
  • New stations
  • Retrofitting
• Based on Geography, the Europe Hydrogen Fueling Stations market is segmented into
  • Asia-Pacific
  • North America
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • Middle East & Africa

• All market revenue has been given in US Dollar.

Historical Year: 2020-2021
Base Year: 2022
Estimated: 2023
Forecast- 2024-2030

Key Questions this Study will Answer

• What are the key overall market statistics or market estimates (Market Overview, Market Size- By Value, Market Size-By Volume, Forecast Numbers, Market Segmentation, Market Shares) of Europe Hydrogen Fueling Stations Market?
• What is the region wise industry size, growth drivers and challenges key market trends?
• What are the key innovations, opportunities, current and future trends and regulations in the Europe Hydrogen Fueling Stations Market?
• Who are the key competitors, what are their key strength and weakness and how they perform in Europe Hydrogen Fueling Stations Market based on competitive benchmarking matrix?
• What are the key results derived from the market surveys conducted during Europe Hydrogen Fueling Stations Market study?