DATS 24 Haasrode facilitates green mobility

The city of Leuven needed green energy for vehicles. With the construction of a filling station offering CNG and fast charging stations, DATS 24 is facilitating innovative mobility in the region.

For its part, the Interleuven intermunicipal company welcomed DATS 24’s cutting-edge technology. At this filling station in Haasrode, the energy supplier continued its pioneering work by installing a hydrogen pump.

Steven Keustermans, Expansion Manager at Colruyt Group, gives an insight into the project.

Fulfilling local needs for CNG and fast charging stations
Pioneer of new mobility
Fuel station with cutting-edge technology
Hydrogen pump

In figures

1.600 m²

surface area

2

fast charging points

1

hydrogen pump

Green mobility and cutting-edge technology

The city of Leuven needed more environmentally-friendly fuel alternatives for its residents. With a range of CNG and fast charging stations, DATS 24 facilitates green mobility in the region.

DATS 24 built Belgium's second public hydrogen filling station on the grounds of the research park in Haasrode. The site, which is managed by the Interleuven intermunicipal company, is reserved for high-tech companies.

Interleuven welcomed the energy supplier for its pioneering work in the field of energy for vehicles and sold an available site to DATS 24.

Traffic-safe design

The filling station is located on a corner along a busy traffic axis near the entrance and exit of the E40. It serves existing traffic, mainly commuters. The city of Leuven asked for special attention to be paid to road safety. We planned the following interventions:

The exit is in the side street. This way, cyclists only have to cross the visiting vehicles once on the main road.

We increased the visibility of cyclists by painting the bicycle path red at the point where the vehicles enter the public domain.

On the DATS 24 site, we have built a separate bicycle lane to increase the safety of cyclists on the narrower side street.

Smooth cooperation

In order to be able to build the filling station optimally, we also bought the corner building from a private individual.

The timing of the preparatory work to build a petrol station is quite changeable. As a result, quite some time passed between the conclusion of the purchase agreement and the execution of the deed.

By communicating very openly and transparently about this, we maintain a smooth cooperation.

Hydrogen stations in Belgium

The first public hydrogen station was built by DATS 24 in Halle. Between 2021 and 2023, DATS 24 plans to build four more hydrogen stations.

We position them with an interesting geographical spread: in Wilrijk, Erpe-Mere, Herve and Ollignies. DATS 24 provides hydrogen stations in three Flemish and two Walloon provinces.

Local authorities, for example, use it for their waste collection service, like in Antwerp.

The process

Early 2017: location found

May 2017: private agreement with private seller and with Interleuven

May 2019: purchase of land and corner premises

6 August 2019: project start

18 October 2019: completion of works

25 October 2019: opening of station