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REVIVE and JIVE II Members Attend the Final REVIVE Workshop in Groningen, Netherlands

Earlier this month, the REVIVE and JIVE II projects jointly hosted the Hydrogen Solutions for European Cities: Learnings from JIVE II & REVIVE for Future Buses and Trucks workshop, marking a significant milestone as the REVIVE project approaches its conclusion.

Held on the 4th of December 2024 in Groningen, Netherlands, the event brought together 46 participants to explore the key learnings from the initial deployments of hydrogen vehicles in efforts to decarbonise heavy-duty transport and urban mobility.

The workshop provided an in-depth review of findings and lessons learned from the operational data collected and analysed throughout the JIVE II and REVIVE projects.

The day began with a site visit to QBuzz’s bus depot followed by an engaging afternoon session at the Groningen municipality depot. The program included presentations, panel discussions, and shared key insights, encouraging open dialogue about the challenges and opportunities for hydrogen in transport.

QBuzz Site Visit Highlights

Participants toured QBuzz’s depot, gaining insights into the practical aspects of deploying hydrogen fuel cell buses. Alongside the tour, a presentation was given, highlighting the key takeaways from the deployment of hydrogen buses to date, offering valuable lessons on operational performance and decarbonisation strategies all the while addressing the remaining challenges to enabling further scale up of H2 mobility:

  • Hydrogen Cost Challenges: Hydrogen remains costly, with prices exceeding €20/kg, far from achieving parity with diesel or electric buses. However, QBuzz has successfully reduced costs to €7/kg through a take-or-pay agreement, highlighting how innovative pricing structures can help manage Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and support the operation of a hydrogen fleet. Despite this, concerns about the long-term viability of hydrogen for urban mobility persist, particularly after such contracts expire.
  • Operational Issues: Despite a comparable availability level between battery electric and fuel cell buses in Groningen and Emmen, a serious challenge arose with the accelerated degradation of the fuel cell under continuous operation. The buses therefore had to be taken off their inter-urban routes and put in operation in the city centre. The main hypothesis for this quick degradation is the inadequate size of the power system to meet the operational requirements of the buses. OEMs need to ensure accurate specification of driveline components, including fuel cells and battery combinations, to meet operational demands and avoid similar issues in the future.

Key Learnings from the Afternoon Workshop

The afternoon session brought together experts from Groningen Municipality, REVIVE, JIVE II, and industry stakeholders (Hydrogen Architects, Holthausen, E-Trucks and the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (CH JU)) to discuss hydrogen’s potential and challenges. Highlights included:

  • General push towards Hydrogen Valleys: Hydrogen valleys are stepping stones toward an integrated hydrogen economy, driving regional value chains and balancing production and offtake across mobility, built environments, and industry. European hydrogen valleys will help create a network to expand the market and reduce costs through economies of scale.
  • Further governmental support is needed to deploy hydrogen technology: Promoting hydrogen adoption requires robust and clear policies, including incentives to reward green technology users and penalise non-compliance. Subsidies, rather than loans, are still necessary to support hydrogen’s business case.
  • The CH JU has played a pivotal role in funding large-scale projects, with future calls focusing on hydrogen valleys and infrastructure integration. Simplified funding processes and strategic collaborations are underway and essential to scale deployment.
  • Vehicle Performance, Maintenance and Scalability:
    • Hydrogen fuel cell buses and trucks demonstrated better-than-expected fuel efficiency, achieving 6.5 kgH2/100 km instead of the anticipated 8.5 kgH2/100 km.
    • Maintenance of hydrogen buses can be challenging due to a lack of certifications and spare parts availability. Buses may be sidelined for extended periods (e.g., a simple panel repair can delay operations for months).
    • Robust Service Level Agreements are vital for reducing downtime by defining clear timelines for repairs and maintenance.
    • Redundant systems (e.g., dual dispensers or trailer-based stations) are critical to ensuring consistent operations when equipment fails. Mobile refuelling stations can provide temporary solutions during maintenance.
  • Lessons for Safety and Maintenance:
    • Safety protocols, such as hydrogen sensors and ventilation in depots, are crucial but remain underdeveloped in EU-wide regulations. Enhanced training for first responders is necessary to address technology-specific risks.

Conclusion

The workshop underscored that while hydrogen faces cost and infrastructure challenges, it holds potential for large vehicles with high payload demands. Collaboration across regions, robust policies, and economies of scale, potentially led by Hydrogen Valleys, will drive market growth and technology improvements.

The REVIVE project – is an EU-funded project that aims to be the largest demonstration of hydrogen fuel cell refuse trucks to date, integrating fuel cell powertrains into 11 vehicles and deploying them across 7 sites across Europe. The project highlights the potential for the decarbonisation of heavy-duty vehicles and provides the operational flexibility required for urban waste collection.

REVIVE has received funding from the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking under Grant Agreement No 779589. This Joint Undertaking receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme, Hydrogen Europe and Hydrogen Europe Research.

The JIVE and JIVE2 projects – are financed by the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking under grant agreements no. 735582 and 779563. The Clean Hydrogen Undertaking receives support from the European Union’s research and innovation programs Horizon 2020, Hydrogen Europe, and Hydrogen Europe Research.

The JIVE and JIVE 2 projects are flagship fuel cell bus projects deploying 290 buses at 16 sites across 7 European countries. The core objectives are to trial joint procurement to access economies of scale, validate fuel cell technology through the deployment and operation of large bus fleets, and stimulate the further uptake of fuel cell buses in Europe. The project has successfully demonstrated the technological capabilities of fuel cell buses in a range of environments.  The JIVE project concluded in June 2024, and the JIVE 2 project will be concluding in June 2025.

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