Shell Hydrogen BV

The development of hydrogen from its discovery as a chemical element to taking up a position as the most important source of energy of the future is a journey through the past and the future. A journey with ups and downs, with both loyal and lapsed fellow travellers, and in constantly changing circumstances.

Along this journey, Shell Hydrogen wishes to play a leading role and champion the realisation of a hydrogen-based economy. By actively collaborating with other market parties in creating an infrastructure for hydrogen that will enable this source of energy to become globally accessible for the everyday consumer. With this in mind, Shell has developed a clear strategy; a strategy that takes account of technical, economic and political developments, but at the same time is based on the company’s own ideas and its acquired expertise.

Shell Hydrogen is a global business of the Shell Group with headquarters in The Hague, the Netherlands, and regional bases in Houston and Tokyo. Shell Hydrogen was set up in 1999 to pursue and develop business opportunities related to hydrogen and fuel cells.

Our goal is to bring hydrogen into a retail setting. Shell already has a hydrogen platform of production nodes all over the world. Over 50 million tonnes are produced and consumed every year. Through existing and planned demonstration projects Shell Hydrogen is currently building up our experience in connecting these production nodes with our retail infrastructure. Bringing hydrogen out of its industrial settings into the everyday lives of people, to places where consumers can access it as a fuel for their vehicles.

We foresee the global hydrogen economy as a new structure in which hydrogen represents an important component of the portfolio of energy sources and fuels, and as a realistic alternative to the world's present wide-scale use of hydrocarbon fuels. The broad-based application of hydrogen offers a solution to current problems such as the dependency on finite fuels and uncertainty concerning energy supplies and air pollution Hydrogen could be a clean and abundant source of energy, to meet the world’s increasing demand. To actually be able to market hydrogen within the foreseeable future, Shell is operating along two channels. Firstly, Shell wishes to broaden its expertise, make the public more aware of the application and use of hydrogen by initiating and encouraging hydrogen-based projects. Secondly, Shell is actively supporting technological development essential for rendering hydrogen accessible to a broader market.