As you already know if you have read our two previous articles on Hydrogen in Heavy Duty Vehicles (HDV): Compressed Gaseous Hydrogen (CGH2) at 700 bar vs Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) and HRS with CGH2 vs HRS with LH2, the type of hydrogen storage in both heavy duty vehicles and hydrogen refuelling stations (HRS) is a very relevant aspect in the transition towards sustainable mobility. But we must also ask ourselves how is the current HRS infrastructure in Spain, is it in line with what Europe is doing, and what will it be like in the coming years?
Heavy transport is one of the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions in Spain, according to the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, road transport accounts for 28.4% of greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, the decarbonisation of this sector has become a priority. However, conventional alternatives, such as battery electric vehicles, have significant limitations in meeting the energy demands of heavy mobility. Limitations that hydrogen does not have, hence the advantage of HRS.
In this context, the storage pressures available at these stations tend to vary, with 350 bar and 700 bar being the most common. The 350 bar pressure, considered as low pressure, is typically used when storage space is available, while the 700 bar pressure is increasingly common in both light and heavy duty vehicles and long distance vehicles, as mentioned in our other article on Hydrogen in Heavy Duty Vehicles (HDV): Compressed Gaseous Hydrogen (CGH2) at 700 bar vs Liquid Hydrogen (LH2).
In 2022 Spain had 11 350 bar HRSs (3 under construction) and 2 700 bar HRSs. In comparison with Europe, where a trend towards 700 bar HRSs predominates, the projects currently under development point to a shift in this direction, with an increasing focus on 350 bar systems. Germany is the leader in Europe with the highest number of operational HRS.
Looking ahead, a steady increase in the number of HRSs is foreseen. The Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) states that, by 2030, there should be at least one hydrogen refuelling station every 200 km on the main transport network, as well as at least one at each urban node. In addition, a minimum capacity of 1 tonne per day is required at each location.
The HRS in operation and in projects are listed below:
| HRS | Europe | Spain | Germany | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 350 bar | 700 bar | 350 bar | 700 bar | 350 bar | 700 bar | |
| In operation | 65 | 166 | 8 | 2 | 20 | 90 |
| En projets | 74 | 44 | 32 | 6+8(1) | 45 | 18 |
(1) 8 are RH at 350 bar with a possible extension to 700 bar envisaged.
As shown in the table above, the number of HRS in Spain and Europe will continue to increase in the coming years. At Lean Hydrogen we believe that a solid infrastructure is the first step for users, in this case heavy-duty vehicle companies, to see hydrogen as a feasible option. Once a robust HRS infrastructure is in place, the necessary conditions will be created to drive demand growth.
Hydrogen represents a unique opportunity to decarbonise heavy transport in Spain, especially in segments where other technologies present limitations. However, its implementation requires a coordinated strategy in the creation of a stable and sustainable infrastructure, where the infrastructure in Spain is currently at a very early stage, with a long way to go to approach the level of countries such as Germany.
Date: 12/05/2025
Author: Christian Preciado Cárdenas
