Greece is now part of the European hydrogen mobility map with Motor Oil inaugurating the first hydrogen station in Greek territory and the first in the region.
In particular, the first commercial Hydrogen refueling station in Agioi Theodoroi under the AVIN brand was presented at a special event with company executives emphasizing that this is an important step towards promoting hydrogen mobility in the country. The station represents an investment of around 3 million euros and confirms the Group’s intention to become one of the protagonists in the “renewable” fuels of the future.
This project is distinguished on a national, regional and European scale. It is the first, publicly accessible, commercial hydrogen station to be built in the country and one of the first in Southeastern Europe. It is the first to be implemented in Europe with co-financing (50%) from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) – Transport program and the first project that paves the way for the commercial availability of purely green fuels for road transport in the country.
Hydrogen VS electrification
Hydrogen comes to meet and respond to the challenges of electrification that require a different approach from the “traditional” approach of green electricity. “We all know that the energy system is based on liquid, gaseous and solid fuels. Hydrogen is expected to play a role both independently and as an intermediate for the production of synthetic fuels,” said, among others, the General Manager of AVIN Oil, Yiannis Raptakis. He added that hydrogen “can play a role where electrification is difficult.” It is worth noting that there is mobility in the hydrogen mobility sector at a global level, with 125 new stations being opened in 2024 alone.
Despite the inauguration of the first refueling station in combination with the ongoing effort of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure to define the regulatory framework with the bill that is under consultation, the market continues to constitute a problem. Responding to a question about the main “issues” for the “next day”, Hydrogen Europe CEO Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, said that “the first and most important thing is the market.”
Advantages of hydrogen
As for the benefits of hydrogen mobility, the following stand out: zero emissions, fast refueling with an average estimated time of 3-5 minutes, and a long range of 500-700 kilometers. These are features that make hydrogen a suitable fuel for professional use, long distances and the transport of goods both in shipping and in aviation.
However, the large market that is emerging for hydrogen concerns its use in refineries, where “gray” and “blue” hydrogen are already used and the transition to “green” hydrogen is planned for further decarbonization.
