Hydrogen strategy in the Rems-Murr district: A major setback is imminent!

Hydrogen strategy in the Rems-Murr district: A major setback is imminent!

It has now been five years since the Rems-Murr district's hydrogen strategy was launched, with high expectations at the time for the development of the alternative energy source. But as zvw.de reports, implementation has become less important in recent years. The former euphoria has been greatly dampened by the reality of slow progress in hydrogen technology.

A central problem is the delay in the opening of the planned hydrogen filling station in Ameisenbühl in Waiblingen. The necessary electrolyzer is still missing, which is preventing the station from operating. In addition, hydrogen propulsion for the Wieslauftalbahn, affectionately known as the “Wiesel”, was deemed uneconomical, representing a major setback in the strategy.

Current developments and challenges

The Rems-Murr district has been actively promoting hydrogen technology since 2020. The strategy was originally built on three pillars that were intended to cover different aspects of hydrogen use. Loud [rems-murr-kreis.de]. ontroller%5D=Newsartikel&tx_hwnews_hwnews%5BcurrentPage%5D=1&tx_hwnews_hwnews%5BnewsartikelId%5D=1810&cHash=6f5159b6059e6df1d39b518503be7436) The first pillar, the opening of a hydrogen filling station and the use of hydrogen buses, is being pushed forward. One of the main projects is the founding of the company Hy.Waiblingen, which connects municipal utilities, GP Joule and the Esslingen University of Applied Sciences. However - and this represents a significant challenge - the operation of the hydrogen filling station is unlikely to cover costs, which means that local bodies, such as the district council and local council, will have to bear the associated deficit.

Another aspect of the strategy is education. In an innovative approach, a learning workshop on future technology is being set up at the Backnang Commercial School, also known as HyLab. This is intended to familiarize young people with hydrogen technology at an early stage and integrate it into teaching units on renewable energies. The basic financing is already planned in the economic plan.

Perspectives for hydrogen use

The current strategy also includes the procurement of hydrogen trains for the Wieslauftalbahn. Nevertheless, research shows that hydrogen trains are more expensive than their battery-electric counterparts. The special-purpose association meeting now favors a battery-electric solution, which will probably eliminate the hydrogen trains.

The challenges of using hydrogen are complex. According to ikts.fraunhofer.de, hydrogen can be used as a chemical storage in renewable energy systems, but a reliable infrastructure must be created for this. Hydrogen-powered vehicles, especially in industry and the mobility sector, require appropriate filling stations and technologies in order to be used effectively. The creation of an economical and accessible hydrogen infrastructure is therefore a prerequisite for the acceptance of these technologies.

In addition to infrastructure, research into new technologies is being pursued to pave the way for hydrogen-powered trains and vehicles. This means that hydrogen could not only serve as an energy source to reduce CO2 emissions in industry, but also play a key role in the transport sector, where the need for action is urgent due to insufficiently reduced emissions.

In summary, it can be said that the Rems-Murr district's hydrogen strategy faces major challenges. It remains to be seen how those involved will deal with the current hurdles and whether the originally set goals can be achieved.