The agricultural machinery manufacturer Fendt has presented the first prototype of a hydrogen tractor. Together with other partners, Fendt is participating in the agricultural model project H2Agrar in Lower Saxony to research a hydrogen infrastructure for agricultural use.
In the model project, prototypes of a hydrogen-powered tractor will be used on farms on a regular basis for the first time. For this purpose, Fendt will deliver its two first-generation prototypes to farms in Haren (Emsland) in Lower Saxony in April 2023. There, they will be used as part of the H2Agrar project to establish the viability of hydrogen vehicles in agricultural applications. The project will further utilize green hydrogen produced from local wind farms, along with building the appropriate infrastructure.
Fendt has been working on cutting emissions in the agricultural sector for some time, and had presented a battery-electric tractor as far back as 2017 at the Agritechnica in Hannover.
“I see hydrogen as a very important solution to problems in agriculture and forestry. Agriculture and forestry can supply a lot of energy, which can also be used to generate hydrogen,” said Hubert Aiwanger, Bavarian State Minister for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy, adding: “Agri-PV plants or wind power generate electricity on agricultural and forestry land and use it to produce hydrogen. Hydrogen from biogas plants or from forest residual wood is also conceivable.”
