China's premier heavy-duty railway hydrogen refueling station, Batuta Hydrogen Refueling Station owned by the CHN Energy Investment Group, officially went into commercial operation on June 2 in Ordos, North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

The Batuta Hydrogen Refueling Station primarily caters to domestic high-power hydrogen-powered shunting locomotives and zero-emission catenary operation vehicles that run on hydrogen fuel cells and lithium-ion power batteries.

Boasting the world's first low-temperature-resistant automatic hydrogen refueling robot and high-flow hydrogen dispenser, which was independently-developed and manufactured by China, the station ensures continuous operation and automatic high-flow hydrogen refueling, even in temperatures as low as -25 C.

The station features a daily refueling capacity of 500 kilograms and a hydrogen storage capacity of 800 kg. It can refill a hydrogen-powered locomotive in mere 30 minutes. With the hydrogen fuel, locomotives can operate nonstop for eight hours and travel up to 800 kilometers when not carrying a load.

The station is expected to help reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 800 metric tons annually.

The hydrogen refueling robot refills a hydrogen-powered locomotive. [Photo provided to investordos.goinnermongolia.com.cn]

The Batuta Hydrogen Refueling Station. [Photo provided to investordos.goinnermongolia.com.cn]

The Batuta Hydrogen Refueling Station. [Photo provided to investordos.goinnermongolia.com.cn]

Two staff members inspect the hydrogen refueling station. [Photo provided to investordos.goinnermongolia.com.cn]