LINDE GAS GMBH

Their core work

Linde Gas GmbH is the Austrian arm of the Linde industrial gases group, supplying hydrogen and related gas infrastructure for energy and mobility applications. In H2020 they operated as a hydrogen infrastructure provider — deploying and running hydrogen refueling stations (HRS) that feed fuel cell cars and buses across Europe. Their real-world contribution is physical: the tanks, compressors, dispensers, and supply logistics that let FCEV fleets actually run. They connect upstream hydrogen production to downstream transport customers.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In 2015-2016 their work centred on the basics of rolling out hydrogen mobility — building the first HRS network, supplying early-adopter FCEV fleets, and measuring total cost of ownership and lifecycle impact. By the H2ME 2 phase their role expanded beyond pure refueling into grid balancing and energy storage, treating the HRS network as a node in the wider energy system rather than just a fuel pump. The shift signals movement from demonstration to utilization — making existing infrastructure pay off.

Moving from infrastructure deployment toward integrating hydrogen refueling with energy storage and grid services — a sign they are preparing for a role in the wider hydrogen economy, not only mobility.

How they like to work

Linde Gas GmbH consistently joined as a third party rather than a contractual beneficiary or coordinator, meaning they plugged into projects through the broader Linde group structure to provide gas infrastructure. They appear in large European consortia (93 unique partners across 13 countries) and stick to closely related projects — two H2ME sequels plus NewBusFuel — showing loyalty to the hydrogen mobility domain. For partners this means a reliable specialist supplier, but not a project leader or administrative partner.

Part of consortia spanning 93 unique partners across 13 European countries, with a clear focus on Western and Central European hydrogen mobility networks. The Austrian entity acts as the local operational arm for Linde's role in pan-European H2 rollout.

What sets them apart

Linde Gas GmbH brings something most research partners cannot: actual hydrogen supply and working refueling stations on the ground. Where universities model and component makers prototype, Linde delivers the fuel and keeps the dispensers running. Partnering with them is how a consortium moves a hydrogen demonstration from simulation to real vehicles on real roads.

Highlights from their portfolio

• H2ME
  The flagship pan-European hydrogen mobility deployment — Linde contributed across all three participations, making it the backbone of their H2020 engagement.
• H2ME 2
  Extends their role beyond refueling into grid balancing and energy storage, signalling a strategic widening of scope.
• NewBusFuel
  Focused specifically on heavy-duty hydrogen bus depot refueling, showing capability for high-throughput fleet infrastructure beyond passenger cars.