De Wetterstofynfrastruktuer Dy't Noch Net Bestiet
June 23, 2026 · Frisian News
Europe promised 1,000 hydrogen refueling stations by 2030, but only 250 exist today. Most hydrogen is made from fossil fuels, yet construction of actual infrastructure lags by a decade.
FryskJapan sleat yn 2024 in wetterstof-tankstasjon yn Fukuoka nei twa jier eksploitaasje. It hie minder as 50 fartúgen betsjinne. Europa hat 1.000 tankstasjons tasein foar 2030. Hjoed binne der 250.
Wetterstof is al 30 jier de brânstof fan de takomst. Regearingen en enerzjybedriuwen hawwe miljarden ynvestearre yn ûndersyk en subsydzjes. It ferhaal is ienfâldich: ferbrân wetterstof, krij wetter. Gjin koalstof, gjin probleem. Mar de belofte en de wurklikheid fertelle ferskillende ferhalen. Wiere tankynfrastruktuer rint tsien jier of mear efter by oankundigings.
De measte wetterstof hjoed is griis wetterstof, makke fan ierdgas. It produsearret 10 ton CO2 foar eltse ton wetterstof. Grien wetterstof, makke fan duorsume enerzjy, is trije kear sa djoer. Enerzjybedriuwen profitearje fan de ferkeap fan griis wetterstof. Apparatuerfabrikanten profitearje fan de ferkeap fan elektrolysers dy't noch altyd net op skaal wurkje. De eigners fan brânstofellen wachtsje yntusken.
Dútslân ynvestearre 10 miljard euro yn wetterstofhype. De earste grinsoerskridende wetterstoflieding sil net earder rinne as 2027. De bou rint efterop op skema. Kostenoerskridingen binne standert. Wetterstoftransporten dy't dit jier ride soene, komme op syn ierst yn 2028. De ynfrastruktuer dy't nedich is om se fan brânstof te foarsjen, bestiet noch net.
Wetterstof is de leafste útwei fan de enerzjytransysje. It stelt politisy yn steat ambisjeuze griene doelstellings bekend te meitsjen, wylst fossile brânstofbedriuwen harren raffinarijen draaie litte. Freegje it oer fiif jier. It antwurd sil wierskynlik net feroarje.
Japan shut down a hydrogen refueling station in Fukuoka in 2024 after two years of operation. It had served fewer than 50 vehicles. Meanwhile, Europe promised 1,000 refueling stations by 2030. Today there are 250.
Hydrogen has been the fuel of the future for 30 years. Governments and energy companies have invested billions in research and subsidies. The pitch is simple: burn hydrogen, get water. No carbon, no problem. But the promise and the reality tell different stories. Actual refueling infrastructure lags behind announcements by a decade or more.
Most hydrogen today is gray hydrogen, made from natural gas. It produces 10 tons of CO2 for every ton of hydrogen. Green hydrogen, made from renewable power, costs three times more. Energy companies profit from selling gray hydrogen. Equipment makers profit from selling electrolyzers that still do not work at scale. Meanwhile, the fuel cell car owners wait.
Germany invested 10 billion euros in hydrogen hype. The first cross-border hydrogen pipeline will not run until 2027. Construction is behind schedule. Cost overruns are standard. Hydrogen trucks that were supposed to roll this year will not arrive until 2028 at earliest. The infrastructure needed to refuel them does not exist yet.
Hydrogen is the energy transition's favorite escape hatch. It lets politicians announce bold green targets while fossil fuel companies keep their refineries humming. Ask again in five years. The answer probably will not change.
Published June 23, 2026 · Frisian News · Ljouwert, Fryslân