During the grand opening event, held on May 10, numerous myths surrounding hydrogen were debunked, emphasizing its suitability for mobility applications beyond heavy transport and industrial use. Vivianne Heijnen, State Secretary of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (I&W), performed the formal opening ceremony by connecting the brand-new BMW iX5 Hydrogen to Fountain Fuel for the first time. During her speech she said: “In the coming years, the Netherlands faces a tremendous challenge in the field of mobility. And we will succeed. Especially when I look at an inspiring day like today with entrepreneurs who dare to get out there and get the job done. It is widely recognized that hydrogen is also necessary within mobility because we are done with fossil fuels!”

Sander Sommer, managing director Benelux of Allego states: “It is time to stop considering these two ways of emission-free driving as competing. All sources are necessary; we shouldn’t bet on one horse. With our cooperation with Fountain Fuel, we have put the words where our mouth is. Combining two worlds as one.”

The event shed light on the vital role of clean mobility in the energy transition and the ways to achieve this. The combination of 100% sustainable power as well as hydrogen is a convenient vision on powering EV charging stations. Discussions among government representatives, entrepreneurs, OEMs, and financiers highlighted the potential of hydrogen as a catalyst for the energy transition, citing advantages such as rapid deployment, improved margins, local knowledge retention, reduced infrastructure costs, and alleviation of grid congestion.

Open for the public in June

The Amersfoort location, following a few more weeks of testing, is set to open to the public in early June. The Allego charging stations are already fully operational and open for the public. Fountain Fuel is also preparing for the launch of additional locations in Rotterdam and Nijmegen, with four more sites expected to be announced after this summer.

We are very enthusiastic about the collaboration with Fountain Fuel, as it strengthens our commitment to providing EV drivers with an extensive network of charging locations across Europe. They invite the public to visit the first Fountain Fuel zero-emission energy station in Amersfoort and share their thoughts on this significant step towards a sustainable future.