How the Platform Works¶

H2-Stations is one platform with four faces. Behind them all sits a single system: a registry of hydrogen refuelling stations (HRS) and a continuous stream of real-time availability data. Which face you interact with depends on whether you manage stations, transmit signals, consume data, or simply want to refuel.

The Four Components¶

Component	Where	What it is for
Portal	portal.h2-stations.eu	The management environment where HRS operators and national bodies maintain station data. Requires an account.
Map	map.h2-stations.eu	The public-facing map showing station locations and live availability across Europe. No account needed.
Signal API	`https://api.h2-stations.eu/import/v1/`	The inbound interface through which signal originators submit real-time availability signals. Secured with a bearer token.
Export API	`https://api.h2-stations.eu/v1/`	The outbound, read-only interface providing station data and availability statuses to data users. Secured with a bearer token.

How Data Flows¶

Static station data and real-time signals enter the platform separately and come together in the status computation, which runs roughly every 30 seconds. Signal originators are advised to send signals every minute. The result is published on the Map and through the Export API.

flowchart TD
    Operator["Operator (Portal)"] -->|static station data| Registry[Registry]
    Originator["Signal originator"] -->|signals every minute| SignalAPI["Signal API"]
    SignalAPI --> Status["Status computation (every ~30 s)"]
    Registry --> Output["Map + Export API"]
    Status --> Output

Where You Fit¶

Drivers use the Map to find stations and check live availability before setting off. No account or setup is required. See For Drivers.

Signal originators run the systems that report whether a station can dispense fuel right now. You send availability signals to the Signal API, ideally once per minute, on behalf of one or more stations. See For Signal Originators.

Operators own or manage stations and are the stewards of station data. You use the Portal to keep station records accurate, coordinate which signal originators report for your stations, and generate availability reports. See For Operators.

Data users build on the platform's open data. You query the Export API for station information and real-time availability statuses, for use in navigation systems, research, or reporting. See For Data Users.

Going Deeper¶

The following pages in this section explain the platform's core mechanisms in more detail:

Availability Status: how a station's availability status is computed from raw signals.
Events: how scheduled events feed into the published status.

Backlinks

For Operators