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Ministry of Defence is hundredth signatory of ‘Covenant on Hydrogen and Mobility’

At least 3 Defence vehicles in the Province of Utrecht to run on hydrogen

During a working visit to KWR, Rear Admiral Peter Knipping, in the name of the Ministry of Defence, signed the ‘Covenant on Hydrogen in Mobility for the Province of Utrecht’. Defence thus became the hundredth signatory to the covenant, which aims to stimulate the production and use of green hydrogen for mobility in the Province of Utrecht. Knipping: ‘This connects other initiatives already taken by Defence, such as sustainable area development and zero-emission vehicles, with the ambitions of municipalities and the Province of Utrecht. We will eventually have at least 3 vehicles in the Province of Utrecht running on hydrogen.’

The Ministry of Defence wants to contribute to achieving the national and regional sustainability objectives in the Netherlands. Sharing the ambition of enhancing sustainability in mobility with vehicles and vessels fuelled by green hydrogen also dovetails with Defence’s zero-emission vehicle initiative. ‘Every litre of diesel in a generator in a distant mission area, has cost many times as many litres to get it there. This can be done differently and hydrogen is one solution,’ says Knipping, when signing the covenant during a working visit to KWR.

Zero-emission vehicles

Eventually Defence aims to have a minimum of 3 vehicles running on hydrogen in the province. The ministry is investigating the possibilities for storing hydrogen on its own site and the placement of a semi-public hydrogen filling station, and is also exploring the possibilities for using hydrogen in military equipment. The vehicles to be fuelled by hydrogen are currently still under development: at the end of 2021 it will become clear when Defence will be in a position to deploy them.

100 participants

The covenant is an initiative of the Province of Utrecht, Energy Collective Utrecht (ECUB) and KWR itself. The first 85 parties signed up during a (corona-proof) event in April. The covenant’s objective is to stimulate the use and production of green hydrogen for mobility in the Province of Utrecht, with each signatory contributing to the joint ambition based its own particular role. In line with the covenant, starting next year, the KWR spinoff Hysolar will be producing green hydrogen with an electrolyser on the KWR site.

Also want to sign up?

If you would also like to become a signatory, please directly download the complete convenant (Word document) and the sign-up form (Word document), or go to Waterstofutrecht.eu. Send the completed form with your logo (as a .png file) to info@waterstofutrecht.eu.

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