Air Liquide builds its first public charging station for hydrogen-powered cars in Belgium

On October 2, 2015, the Flemish Minister for the Budget, Finances, and Energy, Annemie Turtelboom, laid the first stone of a hydrogen charging station in Zaventem. This station will be the first public hydrogen charging station in Belgium.

Hydrogen fuel cell cars: an efficient transportation solution

Hydrogen fuel cell cars have a range of over 500 kilometers. These vehicles produce no pollution at their point of use: no greenhouse gases, no particulates, and no noise pollution.

A new charging station for hydrogen cars in Zaventem

The Zaventem station can recharge between 30 and 40 cars a day in under 5 minutes. Built as part of the SWARM(*) project, it received financial support from the European Fuel Cells and Hydrogen-Joint Undertaking, a public/private partnership whose aim is to support the development of applications related to hydrogen energy. This station will be operational by mid-2016 and will connect Belgium to the European hydrogen network.

Hydrogen: a sustainable source of energy

Faced with the double energy-related and environmental challenge, Air Liquide is dedicated to developing clean transportation solutions using alternative gas fuels. It is actively involved in developing the hydrogen energy industry by facilitating the creation of the network of recharging stations required at global level.

To date, more than 75 hydrogen stations have been designed and built by Air Liquide. In Europe, Air Liquide has already opened hydrogen charging stations that are open to the general public, notably in Rotterdam (Netherlands) and Düsseldorf (Germany). In Germany, Air Liquide is also a partner in the "H2 Mobility" initiative, whose objective is to open about 400 hydrogen charging stations around the country by 2023. Several stations are also in the pipeline in the USA, Japan, and France.

(*) SWARM: "Small 4-Wheel fuel cell passenger vehicle Applications in Regional and Municipal transport.”

This project is aimed at rolling out 90 hydrogen-powered city cars in Europe. Three regions in European countries are involved in this project: the Midlands in Great Britain, the Brussels region in Belgium, as well as the region of Wer-Ems in Germany.