PGNiG, Toyota Plan Joint Hydrogen Fuelling Station
Polish Oil and Gas Company (PGNiG) has signed a co-operation agreement with Japanese motor manufacturer Toyota covering a pilot hydrogen refuelling station in the country, it said August 28.
It will be the monopoly’s first step in its hydrogen programme which it launched in May, said CEO Jerzy Kwiecinski, noting that Toyota was well established in the field of hydrogen vehicles.
PGNiG’s hydrogen research programme provides for the production of hydrogen, including green hydrogen using renewable energy sources, hydrogen storage and distribution, and industrial applications. The operation of a hydrogen refuelling station, to be built in the Wola district of Warsaw, is also part of the programme. PGNiG has already signed a contract with a consortium of Poland- and UK-based companies for the design and construction of the station.
"Operation of the pilot station will help PGNiG to acquire hydrogen competencies relevant to such projects. We aim to expand our product range to include hydrogen, also as a motor fuel, which would complement our CNG and LNG offering and contribute to the advancement of low-emission and zero-emission gas mobility in Poland," PGNiG said.
The joint operations are intended to introduce hydrogen as a clean fuel for zero-emission fuel cell vehicles on the Polish market.
Toyota Motor Poland is preparing to launch the second generation of its Mirai passenger car next year. It is the first hydrogen-powered sedan car manufactured on a mass scale. Compared with the previous version, the new generation fuel cell car has a driving range extended by 30%, to 650–900 km on a single tank. Refuelling will only take a few minutes, making the car fully functional and environmentally friendly.
Toyota said it was “glad” to be working with PGNiG to make the most effective use of hydrogen at all stages. Engineers of both brands will jointly participate in the process of designing and building a hydrogen refueling station, as well as planning and conducting research.