The electrolyser will supplied to a Stadtwerke Bielefeld Group project
IMI will supply 1-megawatt electrolyser to the Stadtwerke Bielefeld Group for its project involving 29 dual-fuel buses, equipped with hydrogen fuel cells and battery-electric drives, to be refuelled with locally produced hydrogen in future
The IMI VIVO electrolyser will be installed at the Bielefeld Innovation Park, where a new bus depot with a solar system on the roof is in operation. Local hydrogen production eliminates transport emissions. The buses can be powered by electricity from the solar system or by hydrogen, produced locally from renewable energy.
The agreement comes after an IMI report, The Road Ahead, found that bus operators face challenges in decarbonisation, particularly in terms of grid reliability and the limitations of battery technology on long distances and inclines. According to the study, 77% of German operators are investing in hydrogen vehicles or plan to do so in the next two years. However, only 27% have a permanent hydrogen infrastructure in place.
Dr Cornelia Neumann, business development manager for IMI VIVO electrolysers, said, "Mobility is one of the most promising sectors for the use of hydrogen for decarbonisation. The commitment of the Stadtwerke Bielefeld Group to local hydrogen production from renewable energies is a pioneering model for other municipalities and operators struggling with grid capacity limits."
