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6,000 hydrogen refueling stations worldwide by 2030

1,000 are currently in operation – a sixfold increase is projected by 2030.

At the first hydrogen refueling station by Air Products, vehicles could refuel for the Winter Olympics in Zhangjiakou, China. (Photo: Air Products)
At the first hydrogen refueling station by Air Products, vehicles could refuel for the Winter Olympics in Zhangjiakou, China. (Photo: Air Products)
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By the end of 2023, a total of 1,068 hydrogen refueling stations were in operation in 35 countries worldwide, according to a new study by Interact Analysis. According to the market research firm, the global expansion is set to accelerate between 2023 and 2030: by 2025, an estimated 1,562 stations will be in operation, with the number expected to grow to around 6,080 by 2030.

The data from Interact Analysis shows that 42% of the currently operating hydrogen refueling stations are built for commercial vehicles and 36% for passenger cars. Nearly three quarters (73%) of all current locations have a refueling capacity of at most 500 kg per day, with China and the USA leading in the construction of large facilities (daily capacity of over 1,000 kg).

China Leading

At the national level, China had the largest number of H2 stations in operation by the end of 2023 (359), followed by Japan (161) and South Korea (159). Within Europe, Germany was the market leader at the end of last year with 105 stations, accounting for 36% of the total number on the continent. In the United States, 76 locations were in operation, 66 of which were in California. However, most of the ten stations outside California are currently not operated for public use.

The future growth of the number of operational hydrogen refueling stations will focus primarily on countries with strong automotive markets. China is leading the acceleration of construction and is expected to have 2,879 stations in operation by 2030.

Alastair Hayfield, Senior Research Director at Interact Analysis: "The number of fuel cell commercial vehicles is expected to rise to 141,000 units globally by 2030 and to 328,000 units by 2035. However, the construction of hydrogen refueling stations faces several challenges, including the need for large capital investments, high operating costs, and technological challenges, as it takes two to three years to get a station up and running. Station operators also have to deal with stringent safety regulations and significant costs due to high hydrogen prices and facility maintenance."

The Market Players

There are currently numerous regional or global companies engaged in the H2 supply chain, including significant investments in H2 refueling station construction by companies as owners and operators. These companies with high market presence include corporate consortia (e.g. H2 Mobility, Hynet, JHyM), energy companies (e.g. Shell, Sinopec, Iwatani), and industrial gas providers (e.g. Linde, Air Liquide, Air Products).

A wide range of equipment suppliers is also involved in the integration of tank systems, with participants typically specializing in the delivery of key equipment components such as refueling systems, compressors, or storage tanks.

Translated automatically from German.
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