Lessons learned from infrastructure operation in the CUTE project

The project CUTE (Clean Urban Transport for Europe) comprised the operation of 27 fuel cell buses and their hydrogen infrastructures for two years under everyday conditions. This paper focuses on the experiences with on-site hydrogen infrastructure operation in CUTE. Every site had a hydrogen refuelling station (350 bar rated pressure), and most of the facilities included a plant for generation of the fuel (steam methane reforming or water electrolysis). Qualitative and quantitative performance indicators such as system availability, root causes for downtime and hydrogen losses are discussed. Problems during the operating phase are outlined and challenges for future work are highlighted. In general, the station units and on-site electrolysers performed well. The on-site steam reformers did not. Hydrogen compressors and dispensing equipment turned out to be the most critical components of the station units.