Israel's first hydrogen refueling station opened

The opening of Israel's first hydrogen refueling station in Sonor Yakul, near the Gulf of Haifa, puts Israel among the world's leading nations in the use of hydrogen fuel cell technology to replace internal combustion engines.

The hydrogen refueling station is being built by a joint venture of Sonol, Bazan and Colmobil to enable hydrogen transportation in Israel. Transport emissions are one of the leading causes of greenhouse gas emissions and pollution in Israel.

For the past six years, Sonol has been researching hydrogen energy, partnering with leading companies such as Linde and H2Mobility, which have built hundreds of hydrogen refuelling stations in Europe. They plan to use the past experience, based on the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle industry development, in the future to build more hydrogen refueling stations in Israel. Each station will require an investment of NIS 5 million (about $1.39 million) (the new shekel is Israel's common currency).

Israel's first real foray into hydrogen energy

Lior Elbaz, a professor at Bar-Ilan University in Israel, said the idea for the hydrogen station came from a conversation with Dudi Weissman of Sonol.

Lior Elbaz is head of the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Alliance in Israel and director of the Hydrogen Technology Research Laboratory at the National Institute for Sustainable Energy in Israel.

When Weissman visited Bar-Ilan University, he stopped by Elbaz's lab and learned about his team's research work on hydrogen energy through Elbaz, which prompted Dudi Weissman to invest heavily in the field. That investment eventually turned into a hydrogen refueling station. Professor Elbaz says his team has been working on this for more than three years.

Elbaz worked with the Israel National Standards Board to ensure the station's smooth operation. Israel previously had no laws and regulations for hydrogen refueling stations. Professor Elbaz says this is the beginning of a hydrogen revolution in Israel.

Professor Lior Elbaz said there is plenty of renewable energy and free land in southern Israel, but the energy needs to be transported to northern Israel. One of the best ways to do this is through hydrogen. Most of Israel's energy market, including Israel's electricity companies, recognizes this.

Israel is home to 15 large companies and 20 hydrogen start-ups.

Two more hydrogen pilot projects in Israel have received funding, including the Kibbutz Yotvata New Hydrogen Valley in southern Israel, where hydrogen will be applied to the production of local dairy milk. The government of Tel Aviv has won a tender from the Ministry of Energy to pilot hydrogen garbage trucks in the city.

With a hydrogen revolution in Israel, is it time to cut back on natural gas?

The opening of Israel's first hydrogen refueling station is not only a milestone in Israel's transition to clean energy, but also comes with great economic development potential. Israel is rich in natural gas resources, and with the growing global demand for clean energy, the Israeli energy market needs to adapt to trends and remain competitive.

One of the biggest economic benefits of hydrogen in the long run is its potential to reduce energy costs. While the initial investment to build hydrogen infrastructure is high, operating costs are typically lower than for conventional fuels, which are subject to price fluctuations. Hydrogen can be produced from a variety of renewable sources such as solar and wind energy. Using hydrogen as a fuel source could help Israel reduce its dependence on expensive imported fossil fuels.

Despite promising development prospects, hydrogen energy currently faces stiff competition. Karen Simon, non-executive chairman of Energean, said the clean energy market is important but unlikely to replace Israel's booming natural gas market. Barring nuclear fusion or breakthrough new technologies, natural gas will remain a strategic fuel for the next 30 years. In the context of climate change, people are beginning to realize the strategic importance of energy security, and natural gas still plays an important role in this process.