Europe’s first station for the production and distribution of renewable hydrogen in an airport zone was inaugurated on Monday, December 4, 2023. Hyport is an emblematic project for mobility in the Occitanie region.
It was a busy afternoon at Toulouse-Blagnac airport. The ceremony was attended by Carole Delga, former minister and President of the Occitania region; Catherine McGregor, CEO of ENGIE; Christian Assaf, President of AREC Occitanie; Pierre-André Durand, Prefect of the Occitania and Haute-Garonne regions (and also regional delegate for ADEME); and Céline Vachey, Regional Director of ADEME Occitania.
Green hydrogen on site
Built by McPhy, Hyport station can produce 400 kilos per day of renewable hydrogen by electrolysis. In fact, there are two stations: one on the tarmac side for airport shuttles, aircraft tractors and the generators that supply aircraft with electricity when they are on the ground and not connected to a catwalk; and another, on the city side, that can refuel up to 20 buses or 200 light vehicles a day, including taxis.
“Decarbonising aviation starts with making ground operations greener, which also emit CO2,” said ENGIE CEO Catherine McGregor. The station relies on an agrivoltaic farm in Fanjeaux (South of France) and on the hydroelectric dams of SHEM in the Pyrenees, operated by ENGIE.
A showcase for Europe
Last June, at the Paris Air Show, Airbus, Hyport*, Toulouse-Blagnac Airport and Terega Solutions signed a partnership agreement for the development of hydrogen at airports. They will write a roadmap to make the Toulouse airport area one of the first Hydrogen pilot sites in Europe. It will host both a production and distribution station as well as a wide range of renewable hydrogen uses.
The Hyport project, which started in 2018, was proposed to the Occitania Region by Seiya Consulting** in 2016. It followed the completion of the first regional hydrogen study in Europe.
*A simplified joint-stock company, 51% owned by Engie, 49% by AREC Occitania.
**Editor of this website
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Article written by Laurent Meillaud and translated by Logan King
