Parked German Hydrogen Garbage Trucks Show The Limits Of Pilot-Driven Infrastructure - CleanTechnica

The article highlights a significant structural issue revealed by the case of seven hydrogen-powered garbage trucks in Bielefeld, Germany, which remain idle because they cannot legally refuel at a nearby hydrogen station designated exclusively for public passenger buses. Both the trucks and the station were funded with public money to reduce municipal emissions, yet legal restrictions tied to the funding prevent cross-use. Alternative hydrogen stations are either too far away or have closed due to low demand, rendering the trucks effectively non-operational. This situation is not due to poor local management but stems from how hydrogen infrastructure funding and regulations are structured, with strict legal earmarks limiting infrastructure use to specific vehicle categories. The problem is widespread across Europe, where hydrogen fleet pilots face similar challenges: high capital costs for vehicles and refueling stations, narrow funding conditions, and fragile operational assumptions. Unlike battery electric fleets, which scale more flexibly and tolerate imperfect conditions, hydrogen systems tend to fail outright when assumptions about usage or access are unmet. The root cause lies in public