The days of hydrogen electromobility are organized by the largest European project JIVE, which implemented 300 buses in 6 European countries. The demonstrations in our country started from Sofia, and until June 20, inclusive, every resident of the capital or a guest of the city will be able to ride the hydrogen bus on trolleybus line No. 9 from 12:00 to 20:00 - free of charge. We are talking about the so-called green hydrogen, which is produced by electrolysis of water using renewable energy. The fuel cell hydrogen bus is powered by an electric motor. The necessary electricity comes from hydrogen, which in a device (so-called fuel cell) on board the bus generates electricity through an electrochemical reaction between the hydrogen supplied from the tank and oxygen from the air, which powers the motor. The waste product of this electrochemical reaction is water, i.e. the energy cycle follows the natural water cycle. Prof. Daria Vladikova - Head of the "Hydrogen Technologies and Energy Systems" department spoke to FAKTI on the subject. at the Institute for Sustainable Transition and Development at the Thrace University in Stara Zagora and chairman of the Bulgarian Association for Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and Energy Storage.
- Prof. Vladikova, you are the head of the “Hydrogen technologies and energy systems“ at Thrace University. How is Bulgaria positioned when we talk about hydrogen?
- In the “Institute for Sustainable Transition and Development“ we have a very clear vision for the development of hydrogen technologies with an emphasis on the specifics of the region given the Maritsa Energy Complex. In 2018, we created the Bulgarian Association for Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and Energy Storage in order to unite the efforts of science, industry, politicians, state and regional administration. We will be happy if Bulgaria accelerates the adoption of the concept of decarbonization and through hydrogen, I emphasize “and“, because in the energy mix no technology should be absolute or neglected.
- Where is the hydrogen program best developed in Europe?
- In general, the hydrogen program in Europe's transport is developing very well in the countries in the western part of the continent. Perhaps Germany and Great Britain are leading the way. One of the first hydrogen buses was purchased by Aberdeen City Hall, Scotland, which has been operating hydrogen buses since 2014, and now – and with garbage trucks. I am talking about a commercial product, it is not about scientific and applied development and about science. In London - during the previous Olympics, there were hydrogen taxis and hydrogen buses, there were also in Japan - over 100 hydrogen electric buses served the Olympics. In Germany, hydrogen urban electric transport is quite well spread. There are over 50 buses in Cologne alone, the same in the Netherlands, Belgium, etc.
- What is the trend for them to reach us?
- The trend is clear, it is clean transport – with zero pollution. I can see that people want it. There are possibilities for the purchase of hydrogen buses for urban transport. The Operational Programmes, the Recovery and Resilience Plan should be used for this. Currently, hydrogen electric transport does not appear in them. With the days of hydrogen electromobility, this type of transportation has come to people, they see that it is a reality, not an exotic. This transport is already available in many European cities, why not in our country, where the air is so polluted? This transport is not only a reality, it is a necessity.
- In order to run these vehicles, hydrogen refueling infrastructure is needed. Where are we?
- There are already over 100 hydrogen charging stations in Germany. In Bulgaria, we have had the first hydrogen charging station for a month, and it is mobile, which is very reasonable, because when we are at the beginning, it is good to be mobile. For example, now the station will go to Stara Zagora, where it will charge this hydrogen bus that we are showing, because the goal of our initiative is to introduce people to hydrogen electromobility - we will pass through several cities. And now I will tell you something interesting. The idea for a mobile charging hydrogen station was generated by Professor Zdravko Stoinov back in 2012. He had a wonderful sense of humor and ran the “sleigh”. We have been trying for more than 10 years to convince national science programs that this is an innovation that should be funded. Well, we finally made it. But in 2016, a European company (Air Liquide) made such a mobile station… And our idea was from 2012. If we had started in 2012, we would have probably been innovators in Europe in a new area – hydrogen electromobility. We – Bulgarians are incredibly innovative, we have ideas. What we want as scientists is to be believed, to be supported, especially by politicians.
- And someone to hear you, of course…
- Yes, of course, to be heard. And not, when we say something, that it falls somewhere into non-being. We want there to be a little more faith in scientists. Now a group of Bulgarian scientists are working on developing the European hydrogen policy. Our association currently participates as one of the 8 European partners from Germany, Italy, Portugal, Belgium and Austria in the construction of the Hydrogen Working Group to the European Strategic Plan for Energy Technologies, the so-called SET plan, so we are working for the hydrogen strategy at the European level, but above all we want to work for Bulgaria. We want to be heard.
- How much does such a hydrogen bus cost?
- About 600,000 euros. But in the JIVE project, the price was 25% lower. We just need work and institutional support to participate in large infrastructure projects. You need to understand the program, show initiative and work with a united effort.
- How far does one go on one charge?
- About 400 km.
- Where are the buses manufactured?
- In Portugal. There is already a serious base there. It is a cooperation between Toyota and the Portuguese Caetano.
- So in the EU, and we will not import them from far away?
- In Portugal, the circle is already closed, because you know that the automotive industry is not just about assembling. It is complex, but the production is European.