Air Liquide today unveiled its new large capacity hydrogen station which will primarily serve the first European fleet of long-haul hydrogen trucks.

To be located at Air Liquide’s Fos-sur-Mer site, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region in France, the 700 bar, 1,000kg per day, station will enable up to 20 refuellings of long-haul trucks per day, for up to 800km for autonomy.

In addition to Air Liquide’s investment, the station will be built with funding from the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region and Europe FCH JU (Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking).

The station will be built in the framework of the HyAMMED project which brings together industrial actors, carriers and large retailers such as Carrefour, Coca-Cola European Partners and Monoprix to facilitate the transition to clean and sustainable solutions in transportation of goods.

The project will contribute to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 1,500 metric tons of CO2 per year, the equivalent of more than 2 million kilometres travelled by truck.

The station will be commissioned early 2022 and will primarily serve the first European fleet of eight 44-tonnes low-carbon hydrogen trucks specifically designed within the project.

One of these trucks will be operated by Air Liquide for its packaged gas delivery activities in the Fos-sur-Mer area. The station is also designed for the refuelling of buses and other commercial vehicles.

François Jackow, Executive Vice-President and a member of the Air Liquide Group’s Executive Committee, said, “Hydrogen is an alternative to meet the challenge of clean transportation and thus contribute to improving air quality. As such, hydrogen energy has the potential to transform Europe’s energy landscape.”

“This project demonstrates Air Liquide’s commitment as part of its Climate objectives to work with customers and public and private partners toward a sustainable industry and the development of a low-carbon society.”