HyDrive-OWL – Detailed Concept to Expand the Regional Hydrogen Infrastructure for the Region Encompassing Lippe, Minden-Lübbecke and Bielefeld

The region of Ostwestfalen-Lippe (OWL) has been actively involved in climate protection for years. It sees post-fossil mobility as an integral component for progress in climate action and has since been actively working toward this goal. The districts of Lippe and Minden-Lübbecke as well as the city of Bielefeld have all taken on a leading role in this venture. To make the vision of post-fossil mobility a reality, this project aims to analyze the potential offered by hydrogen-based mobility, with a special focus on heavy road traffic. The goal is to bring together all aspects of the regional hydrogen value chain – from generation to distribution and storage to application – with a view to potential expansion into other neighboring regions.

Fraunhofer ISE has been commissioned by the districts of Lippe and Minden-Lübbecke and the city of Bielefeld to develop a detailed design for expanding hydrogen infrastructure in the Ostwestfalen-Lippe region. To begin, the project will identify and analyze the potential for hydrogen generation in the region. Opportunities for using hydrogen will also be investigated and evaluated, with a special focus on heavy road traffic and industry.

Companies that operate locally and in part globally will be involved in the project so as to best take into account the distinct features of the region. Plus, multiple interactive formats – the HyDrive Forums and HyDriveLabs – will be conducted locally. These events seek to identify various needs and current obstacles in order to be able to best account for them in the detailed design. They will also address key players and stakeholders, thereby expanding the scope of the project.

Additionally, a map-based analysis will be conducted and closely coordinated with the timetable for the subsequent implementation phase in order to ensure the optimized coupling of future hydrogen generation and consumption, both in terms of physical area and scheduling. The objective is to create a coordinated plan for building the first electrolysis units and hydrogen fueling stations in the OWL region.

The consortium behind the project is an interdisciplinary project team consisting of engineers, economists and psychologists.