The City of Vis and the H2 association are developing a plan to build the first hydrogen fillingstation in Croatia. The fuel would be produced for boats and utility vehicles, using electricityfrom the island's solar power plant and from waste treatment.
A solar power plant with a battery storage unit, run by Croatia's state-owned power utility Hrvatska elektroprivreda (HEP Group)increased the energy independence of the City of Vis to 60%. The town is on an island of the same name, located 54 kilometersoffshore Split, The next step is to produce green hydrogen and build a filing station, Mayor lvo Radica told Naciona.
The local authority signed a letter of intent in july 2021 with the H2 - Hydrogen Cell association, which is active in the developmentand application of fuel cells.According to the document, the hydrogen filling station would be used for passenger and cargo boats and fishing vessels. The facility is planned to be built on municipal property.
Green hydrogen is produced from water using electricity from renewable sources,in electrolyzers that separate the liquid intohydrogen and oxygen gases. The City of Vis has stable water sources, Radica pointed out.
Project was submitted for public funding
We aready conducted all the necessary studies and produced documentation in cooperation with the H2 association and submittedthem to European and Croatian investment funds in order to start producing hydrogen as soon as possible with the electricity fromSPP Vis and the water in an electrolyzer and to build and commission a respectable flling station with enviable capacities by 2025.ltwould make us the first energy independent town in Croatia,which of course includes the entire Vis island he said. Radica added thatby 2025 the local authority would spend EUR 6.7 milion on utility vehicles and vessels that use hydrogen.
The City of Vis needs to secure EUR 2.9 million for the hydrogen filling statior
Together we initiated the proects for the remediation of the Wellington landfil in the town ofVis and for the production of hydrogerby gasifying municipal and other waste, for the production of hydrogen from the energy of the sun from the Vis SPP and for storingexcess water, but also for the construction of the hydrogen filing station for utility vehicles, machinery, cars and personal vehicles inthe territory of the town of Vis " said lvica lakic from H2.
He explained that hydrogen would be separated from biosynthetic gas obtained from the treatment of organic waste. Vis needs tosecure EUR 2.9 milion for the hydrogen fueling station. The project with the H2 association includes the use of energy from wind.
HEP Group's Vis solar power plant can produce 5 GWh of electricity per vear with its 3.5 MW in capacity. lt was commissioned in 2020
The biggest battery storage system in Croatia was recently integrated with it. lt has 1 MW in operational power and 1.44 MWh incapacity, which means it can work at full throttle for up to one hour and 26 minutes. The investment cot EUR 2.3 milion. according tothe energy company.
The Vis solar farm was the largest in the country when it was connected to the grid. in November,HEP Group commissioned itsObrovac photovoltaic facility of 8.7 MW in peak capacity, with a 7.35 MW connection.