The refuelling station, designed by Hypion, will have a daily capacity of up to 2,000 kilograms of hydrogen and will be able to refuel up to 50 lorries per day. The new hydrogen refuelling station is strategically located not far from the A1 and A20 motorway junction, where the MB Energy Group already operates a diesel refuelling station. The new refuelling station will be seamlessly integrated into the existing infrastructure of the MB Energy Group’s Commercial Road Transport division, which operates more than 300 conventional refuelling stations, and, like these, will be operated within the tankpool24 network.
“This project is an important step for us,” says Philipp Kroepels, Director of New Energy at MB Energy. “Now that we have been granted planning permission, we are moving from the planning stage to implementation. Our team is raring to go and ready for construction to begin, so that a vision can become a concrete contribution to the hydrogen economy in Germany.”
The project has received a substantial funding commitment from the Federal Ministry of Transport under the ‘Climate-Friendly Commercial Vehicles and Infrastructure (KsNI)’ scheme. The Lübeck site will play a key role in meeting the requirements of the EU’s AFIR (Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulation), which stipulates that hydrogen refuelling stations must be provided every 200 km along the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) and at urban hubs by 2030.
“Hydrogen is a practical and promising energy source for long-distance transport,” explains Florian Lückmann, Director of Commercial Road Transport at MB Energy. “With short refuelling times, a long range and no compromise on payload, hydrogen offers real advantages for commercial logistics. This refuelling station is just the beginning – we are working resolutely to establish a reliable and scalable network of refuelling stations for carbon-free energy products for lorry transport. Furthermore, it is an excellent addition to our existing refuelling stations and our fuel card business, enabling us to offer both existing and new customers a broader range of solutions.”
The MB Energy Group is continuing to drive forward the implementation of its multi-fuel approach and is investing in hydrogen, biofuels and synthetic fuels (e-fuels) to offer its customers tailor-made solutions on their path to decarbonisation. Through its Swedish subsidiary, the MB Energy Group has already built hydrogen refuelling stations in Sweden and secured funding for further sites.
The Lübeck project was developed, planned and implemented in close collaboration with Hypion GmbH, a specialist in hydrogen infrastructure and project development.
“Following our experience with the first large-scale hydrogen refuelling station in Neumüster, we are now delighted to be working with MB Energy to realise the second H2 hub for heavy-duty vehicles in Lübeck,” adds Dr Stefan Rehm, Managing Director of Hypion. “This new site thus complements our strategy of moving from economically viable hubs to clusters and ultimately to the necessary network. The site in Lübeck, on the Fehmarn Belt link, has the right potential to supply both regional transport companies and visitors from Scandinavia with sustainable hydrogen.”
The hydrogen refuelling station will be operated as part of the Tankpool24 network, which comprises over 2,000 refuelling stations across Europe and more than 750 in Germany. Integration and management will be handled by the Commercial Road Transport division of the MB Energy Group.
With the planned start of construction, MB Energy is underlining its leading role in the development of future-oriented commercial transport solutions and in accelerating the energy transition in the mobility sector.
About MB Energy
MB Energy, founded in 1947 and headquartered in Hamburg, is an independent and integrated energy company with operations in Europe, the United States and Singapore. The company is active in the import, storage, distribution and marketing of petroleum products, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), chemicals and biofuels. With decades of industry experience and a forward-thinking approach, MB Energy plays an active role in the global energy landscape and supports its customers in the transition to lower-emission energy sources by developing and providing forward-looking alternatives.
About Hypion
Hypion, as a project developer, is dedicated to establishing integrated green hydrogen economies to supply mobility, industry, buildings and the electricity market with clean energy. Hypion’s core expertise as a specialist in the green hydrogen economy stems from the development, planning, implementation and operation of economically viable end-user solutions.
The H2HubHL project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport with a total of 5.1 million euros under the guidelines for the promotion of commercial vehicles with alternative, climate-friendly propulsion systems and the associated refuelling and charging infrastructure (KsNI guidelines). The funding scheme is coordinated by NOW GmbH, and applications are approved by the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility (BALM).
