Green hydrogen for trucks, buses, and cars is now available around the clock from the APEX Group in Rostock-Laage – logistics companies and transport operators benefit
On Friday, October 21, 2022, the first hydrogen filling station for heavy-duty transport in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern officially went into operation in Rostock-Laage. In the presence of the Minister of Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Tourism and Labor MV, Reinhard Meyer, the Managing Director of APEX Group, Peter Rößner, performed the symbolic first refueling of a truck. The facility, which is open around the clock, enables, e.g., transport companies or logistics companies to refuel their vehicles at a public filling station and thus transport passengers and goods without emissions. Hydrogen-powered cars can also be refueled at this filling station. The investment volume for the facility amounts to approximately three million euros.
The site at Rostock-Laage Airport is in the immediate vicinity of the A19 freeway and the A20 interchange. Rostock’s overseas port can also be reached in just 30 minutes. The fuel used is green hydrogen, produced on-site by the APEX Group from its electrolysis process in a climate-neutral manner. The daily capacity of the filling station is approx. 450 kg. Two heavy-duty vehicles and three passenger cars can be refueled back-to-back.
For refueling heavy-duty vehicles with hydrogen (large quantities in a short time), a pressure of 350 bar is required. For passenger cars, the pressure is 700 bar, so different fueling pumps are used for the two 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 content of about five kg results in a range of up to 500 km. The cost of one kg of green hydrogen is 12.85 EUR, so the full refueling of a heavy-duty vehicle costs around 475 EUR, and that of a passenger car around 65 EUR.
With the construction of the hydrogen filling station, APEX Group is expanding the fuel supply in the transport sector in a climate-friendly way. The operation of hydrogen-powered vehicles does not cause pollutants or emissions.
“Hydrogen is a very promising future technology. In areas where traffic cannot be avoided, it can help to noticeably reduce CO2 emissions,” said Economics Minister Reinhard Meyer at the official commissioning of the plant. “We are pleased to take a pioneering step toward building the necessary infrastructure here in Rostock-Laage by opening the first hydrogen filling station for heavy-duty traffic in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.”
“Hydrogen technology has a decisive role to play in the spread of electromobility. And this technology is ready for the market,” emphasized APEX Group CEO Peter Rößner. “High ranges, short refueling times, and good on-site storage capabilities are important criteria for this. In addition, refueling hydrogen is just as easy as with conventional vehicles. As one of the pioneers of the green energy turnaround, we at APEX are naturally pleased to be the first to set up a refueling station with green hydrogen for heavy-duty transport in our state.”
