OREANDA-NEWS. October 17, 2012. On 17 October 2012, OMV opened the first public hydrogen filling station in Austria. OMV has been researching the alternative drive concept for vehicles with hydrogen and fuel cells for several years. This latest development therefore signifies a further step towards sustainability and emission-free mobility.

OMV CEO Dr. Gerhard Roiss, comments on the project: “For over 50 years we have been filling our cars with liters. In the future, we will fill them with kilos. With only four kilos of hydrogen a car can drive for around 400 kilometers. The hydrogen era begins today. Thanks to OMV, this emission-free fuel of the future is available in Austria now, and is building a bridge to Europe’s climate targets.”

Dr. Reinhold Mitterlehner, Federal Minister for Economy and Energy, emphasizes the bene-fits of the technology for Austria: “Eco-innovations belong to the future. The increased use of hydrogen improves transport’s carbon footprint and at the same time supports the struc-tural change in the automotive sector. It is precisely the developments in components such as hydrogen tanks and fuel cells that offer enormous potential for value and employment creation in Austria. The OMV initiative is therefore an important impetus from an energy, innovation and economic policy perspective.”

“The promotion of hydrogen technology is an important step towards sustainability. This technology is also important for public mobility. The OMV project could also help further improve the air quality of our beautiful city and therefore improve quality of life,” says Prof. Harry Kopietz, president of the Vienna state parliament, in an acknowledgement of the posi-tive aspects this project will have for the city.

Fuel cell vehicle manufacturer Daimler is also convinced by the OMV vision: “The journey towards electro mobility is more like a marathon than a sprint as it will be completed in many small steps. Our fuel cell vehicles have already proven their readiness to go into series production, and we are now testing customer behavior such as here at OMV in Vienna,” says Prof. Dr. Herbert Kohler, director of group research at Daimler and environmental officer.

"We have already worked successfully with OMV in the past," said Georg Denoke, Member of the Executive Board at Linde AG. "As a pioneer in the field of hydrogen technology, we are particularly pleased that we were able to continue this long standing partnership for the development of the first hydrogen filling station in Austria. This is a further important step towards creating an extensive hydrogen infrastructure in Europe."

Hydrogen as a promising fuel for the future
Hydrogen vehicles operate without producing emissions, because only water vapor comes out of the exhaust. Traditional combustion does not take place in such vehicles; instead there is an exchange of electrons. In the process, hydrogen reacts with oxygen and a fuel cell converts the energy directly into electrical power. Hydrogen vehicles with fuel cells that have 4 kilos in their tanks have a range of more than 400 kilometers – an enormous advantage over battery-driven electric cars.

In its gas form hydrogen is colorless and odorless, very light, non-toxic and is of no risk to people or the environment. Even the exhaust only emits water vapor and warm air.