The Rhine ports as a hydrogen hub

Hydrogen is an important energy carrier of the future, especially in the transportation sector. In addition to production, the distribution, storage and use of hydrogen must also be driven forward. This is what the four partners Swiss Rhine ports, Varo, Avia and IWB want to tackle together. To this end, they want to develop the "H2 Hub Switzerland", as the partners recently announced. 

Identify role of Rhine ports in hydrogen economy

The Swiss Rhine ports (SRH) are predestined to play a central role in the hydrogen economy in the future. With their locations in Birsfelden and Muttenz, they are today a central hub of mineral oil logistics. Renewable and CO2-neutral energies would play an increasingly important role, while fossil energy sources such as mineral oil would be increasingly replaced by them. As a location for the energy industry, he said, the Rhine ports are geared to the transshipment, production, storage and transport of all kinds of goods, including hazardous goods. For national logistics, the Rhine ports would have excellent connections to the national rail and road networks.

Partnership between SRH, IWB, Varo and Avia

The four partners want to jointly develop the port areas of Birsfelden and Muttenz into a hydrogen hub - the "H2 Hub Switzerland". Their vision is not only to distribute the hydrogen using the existing infrastructure, but also to produce, store and make the ecological energy available on site. The tank storage company Avia AG and the energy company Varo Energy Holding AG are already important players in the Rhine ports, he said. Varo operates two tank farms in Birsfelden. Its core business is the handling and storage of various fuels. Hydrogen will increasingly be part of their business, both nationally and internationally. Fritz Meyer AG, Basel, together with other member companies of the Avia Association, is focusing on hydrogen as a filling station operator. In the association, Avia is expanding the business field accordingly. With IWB, a company is on board that has been focusing on CO2-neutral energy for many years and is an expert in the production of renewable energy. Recently, IWB founded GreenH2 AG together with the gas station operator and Fritz Meyer AG. The joint venture aims to build hydrogen production plants and promote their use as part of the switch to renewable energies.

First steps towards "H2 Hub Switzerland

The vision "H2 Hub Switzerland" is now being jointly launched and formulated. This includes, among other things, the definition of the long-term role of the ports and the local distribution between the sites. As part of a long-term cooperation, the four partners want to create essential prerequisites for the development of the "H2 Hub Switzerland", as emphasized. For this, they have set the basis in a joint declaration of intent. In addition, they want to test hydrogen applications soon: use of hydrogen-powered trucks, installation of the first hydrogen storage tanks and construction of refueling stations for rail, road and ship modes of transport.

Source: SRH, Varo, Avia and IWB 

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