First hydrogen fuel station in Israel opens begins operation
May 19, 2023The new location is the first in the country and is part of a broader effort toward decarbonization.
Israel has now opened its first hydrogen fuel station, making it possible for H2-powered zero-emission vehicles to refuel in the same way that gas and diesel-powered vehicles head to the pump.
Transport is among the most polluting sectors and has become a decarbonization priority.
As one of the most polluting sectors, decarbonizing transport has become a high priority for Israel in its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. This makes the opening of its first hydrogen fuel station an important first step toward establishing a new infrastructure supporting zero-emission vehicles.
The new location is operating near Haifa Bay. This facility allows H2-powered vehicle drivers to head up to a pump and refuel with H2 in a very similar way to how they would refill their tanks with gas or diesel.
A number of different companies came together to launch the first hydrogen fuel station in Israel.
Sonol, Bazal and Colmobil have all come together to collaborate in this new H2 refueling project. In a joint statement, the collaborators explained that there are substantial advantages to using H2-powered vehicles when compared to standard battery electric alternatives. Among the most obvious is how quickly and easily they can be refueled.
Credit: Photo by depositphotos.com
By offering a familiar experience, the barrier to entry from that standpoint isn’t big. Drivers in the country would be able to drive their vehicles just as they used to with fossil fuel-powered cars, and with a similar range. When they need to refuel, they can head to a pump and fill up, needing about the same amount of time that they’re accustomed to.
More stations to come
According to Sonol, this first hydrogen fuel station will be followed by many others. It intends to install several throughout Israel. That said, it did underscore that each of the stations will need an investment of over £1 million (over USD $1.25 million).
Clearly, this represents a substantial investment into the infrastructure that will be necessary if H2-powered vehicles are to become practical and appealing to use in the Middle Eastern country.
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What companies can one invest in to obtain global participation in h2 as a fuel? I believe it makes more sense than electric
So where do you think that to retrofit a service station for 1mllion is substantial. Compare that to supplying electricity to stations for EV vehicles. A million is a drop in the bucket. Hydrogen is the only way to go and I cant understand why all this electricity hype and huge costs to go electric. I think it will be soon noted that electrifying everything was a very poor experiment. All a bunch of government and environmentalist propaganda. Some one is making a lot of money sucking everyone in. But not me, I knew hydrogen was the only and better way years ago
Well done Israel! Please consider working with Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the Palestinians to revitalize the Dead Sea.
This was started and needs to be finished. Can you imagine factories and communities working together producing seawater sodium-sulfur batteries for use in renewable energy projects and electronics worldwide. This could help Saudi Arabia to become a global energy powerhouse as they transition to a hydrogen and renewable economy. Saudi Arabia has offered to help the Palestinian people. Your effort could provide great jobs and communities all along the shores of a revitalized Dead Sea. Something all should consider and help bring peace and prosperity to the region. Please use nano-rippled graphene as the electrode in these amazing seawater sodium-sulfur batteries and a reflective base layer in Saudi Arabia’s advanced tandem solar cells.