Coop Opens Switzerland’s First Public Hydrogen Filling Station Coop is investing in a visionary mobility system. On Friday, 4th of November, the Basel-based retailer opened Switzerland’s first hydrogen filling station in Hunzenschwil, Canton Aargau. At the same time it integrated the world’s first hydrogen-powered truck and trailer – able to meet Coop’s logistics demands – and twelve hydrogen-powered cars into its own vehicle fleet. The hydrogen required to drive the vehicles is produced in the nearby run-of-the-river power plant of IBAarau in Aarau with no CO2 or pollutant emissions by H2 Energy AG and delivered to Coop Mineraloel AG. Coop is therefore taking a ground-breaking step towards sustainable mobility. Today, Coop Mineraloel AG opened the first hydrogen filling station in Switzerland in Hunzenschwil; further hydrogen filling stations in other regions of Switzerland are already being planned. “We want to get ready for the future because demand for fossil fuels is falling but people want to stay mobile. With our own hydrogen filling station and Coop’s hydrogen-powered vehicles we are well placed to gather experience with this new fuel”, says Roger Oser, CEO of Coop Mineraloel AG. A boost for sustainable power “We want to kick things off and help ensure that a pioneering technology succeeds”, said Joos Sutter, CEO of Coop, in Hunzenschwil. He went on to say “By opening a hydrogen filling station and also including a first hydrogen-powered truck and twelve hydrogen cars in our own fleet, we will safeguard supply and demand”. The twelve cars will be made available to employees of the nearby Schafisheim distribution centre as company cars. The truck will also be used in Schafisheim to make deliveries to sales outlets in the Nordwestschweiz-Zentralschweiz-Zürich region. Hydrogen vehicle: 100% performance – 0% emissions In terms of handling, a hydrogen-powered vehicle differs only slightly from one that runs on fossil fuel: the fuelling time, range with a tank of fuel and operating costs per kilometre travelled are practically identical. The main difference is that a hydrogen vehicle does not produce any pollutants. Hydrogen from a Swiss hydrogen power plant Coop is having the hydrogen required to drive the hydrogen truck and cars produced by electrolysis by H2 Energy AG at the IBAarau run-of-the-river plant in Aarau. This means that water is broken down into its components hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2) with energy from the run-of-the-river plant: the electrolysis at the plant in Aarau takes place whenever demand for electricity on the grid is low. The hydrogen production does not produce CO2 or other pollutants. And cars or trucks powered by hydrogen only emit steam too. Hydrogen at Coop therefore bears the Oecoplan own-label sustainability brand. Actions, not words no. 326 Coop summarizes its endeavours to achieve greater sustainability under the slogan “Actions, not words”. For more than 25 years, the retailer has been actively committed, with its partners, to sustainable consumption, protecting the environment and social responsibility. The platform www.taten-statt-worte.ch comprises over 320 actions and more are being added all the time. In order to make the future better, Coop is working here and now on behalf of people, animals and nature. The opening of the first public hydrogen filling station in Switzerland is our action 326 (www.actions-not-words.ch/326).
Swiss retailer Coop has opened Switzerland 's first hydrogen filling station in Hunzenschwil . The company has also added the world 's first hydrogen - powered truck and trailer fleet , plus 12 hydrogen - powered cars into its own vehicle fleet . Hydrogen for the vehicles is being produced by H2 Energy at the nearby run - of - the - river power plant in Aarau with no carbon emissions . It is planned to roll - out further hydrogen filling stations in other parts of Switzerland .