Hydrogen charging station HITMOBIL CoC
The construction of Field Laboratory 6 “Integrated Energy Systems” is in its final phase. The laboratory will carry out pre-industrial scale research on the production of energy from renewable energy sources (RES), its storage in various battery and hydrogen systems, its supply to battery and hydrogen electric vehicle charging stations and to the electricity grid, as part of the activities of the “Experimental Development” Module of the Hitmobil CoC with IEES-BAS as the lead organisation.
The laboratory has the capability to test varying combinations of RES generation modes. For this purpose, a photovoltaic park with fixed panels and sun tracking structures has been built and a wind generator emulator has been installed to allow the research to proceed seamlessly in an urban environment.
The renewable energy produced in the experimental field laboratory will be stored in both familiar technologies (lead-acid batteries, lithium batteries and supercapacitors) and innovative technological solutions such as flow batteries and inertial flywheel systems and also in the form of green hydrogen produced by electrolysis of water.
The hydrogen charging station and fast charging station for battery electric vehicles will allow the deployment of a research program of experimental scientific observations on the technical parameters of vehicle charging and their impact on the energy grid, production and balancing capacities.
“HITMOBIL” CoC launches the infrastructure for refueling hydrogen vehicles in Bulgaria. Hydrogen production is carried out with an electrolyzer, with a capacity of 8 kilograms per day. The hydrogen produced on-site flows directly into the hydrogen charging station where it is compressed to the necessary pressure for refuelling. The station has two charging outlets – at 350 bar and 700 bar pressure. The two standard pressures cover the charging capabilities of cars, light trucks and trucks, and the use of high-pressure buffer tanks allows vehicles to be charged within minutes. For higher consumption, the hydrogen charging station has the ability to use hydrogen from cylinder groups produced from other sources.
The hydrogen charging station, manufactured by the Austrian company EDC-Anlagentechnik, is certified as a relocatable facility. This makes it possible, in principle, to use it for demonstration purposes at other sites outside its main location within the Field Laboratory in the city of Sofia.
A presentation of the Integrated Energy Systems Field Laboratory will be made at a closing press conference of the Hitmobil CoC on 21 December 2023, at 10:00 a.m. in the Conference Hall of the lead organisation: “Academician Evgeni Budevski” Institute of Electrochemistry and Energy Systems – BAS. The first live demonstrations for visitors are planned for the spring of 2024 when the unique for the country and the region field laboratory will reach its full functionality.
The “HITMOBIL – Technologies and Systems for Clean Energy Generation, Storage and Consumption” Centre of Competence, grant agreement No BG05M20P001-1.002-0014, is funded by the “Science and Education for Smart Growth” Operational Programme (SESG OP), co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund.
