Promoted by HYPORT (51% owned by ENGIE Solutions and 49% by AREC Occitanie), the first European green hydrogen production, storage and distribution station in an airport zone has just been inaugurated in the presence of Carole Delga, president of the Occitanie Region, Pierre-André Durand, Prefect of the Occitanie Region and the Haute-Garonne, Regional Delegate for ADEME, Céline Vachey, Regional Director of ADEME Occitanie, Christian Assaf, Chairman of AREC Occitanie, Philippe Crébassa, Chairman of the Management Board of Toulouse-Blagnac Airport and Catherine MacGregor, CEO of ENGIE Group.
This unique station will refuel buses serving passengers at Toulouse-Blagnac airport and shuttle buses for Airbus employees. It is also open to customers from outside the airport. This infrastructure will accelerate the energy transition in the Occitanie region, while building on the local fabric of economic players and industrial companies.
A hybrid station to decarbonise mobility
Located in the airport zone and close to major roads, the HYPORT station at Toulouse-Blagnac airport is the first green hydrogen production station on this scale in Occitanie. With a production capacity of over 400 kg of green hydrogen per day, equivalent to 1 MW of high-power electrolysis, the station can fuel around 20 buses or 200 light vehicles per day. The on-site electrolyser is supplied with 100% renewable and local electricity from the green power purchase agreement linking ENGIE group to the Fanjeaux photovoltaic farm (in the Aude) and hydropower dams in the Pyrenees. The station can be used not only for mobility, but also for industrial and logistics purposes.
Europe's only station located in an airport zone
This hydrogen hub comprises a station equipped with two distribution terminals, one landside and one on the apron, to supply light vehicles and hydrogen buses carrying passengers to and from aircraft and car parks. The HYPORT station can be used to refuel pushback tractors, generators that supply aircraft with electricity when they are on stand, along with lorries and coaches.
The site also includes an export zone, enabling potential surplus renewable hydrogen to be used for special events (generators), to decarbonise industrial processes, or to produce e-kerosene. The same zone can be used to import hydrogen during any peaks in consumption.
Developing a regional ecosystem of deeply committed players
Dedicated to developing the use of hydrogen as a sustainable alternative fuel, HYPORT designs and manages complete green hydrogen solutions, from production to distribution. The HYPORT station is the result of bringing together all the regional and national industrial and institutional players involved in the energy transition:
- The Occitanie regional energy and climate agency (AREC),
- The ENGIE Solutions teams, who put all their expertise into building the alternative fuel refuelling station,
- Toulouse-Blagnac airport, committed to "zero carbon emissions" by 2050 under the ACI Europe Net Zero programme,
- SAFRA, the designer and manufacturer of the 5 shuttles now operating on the airport apron,
- Transdev, operator of the Toulouse-Blagnac airport bus,
- Airbus, which supports the development of hydrogen hubs at airports.
HYPORT has forged 100% regional partnerships with local manufacturers, while encouraging other economic players to convert their fleets to hydrogen, a major alternative fuel. Lastly, the project is supported by the French agency for ecological transition ADEME, the Occitanie Region, and the JIVE 2 project co-funded by the European Union Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking.
"Through the national strategy for the development of carbon-free hydrogen, with a budget of 7bn for 2020-2030 and a further 2bn from the France 2030 investment plan, the French government is investing massively to make the country a leader in carbon-free hydrogen. Hydrogen is one of the solutions for which production will need to be stepped up to help achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. By providing funding of 5.2m to the HYPORT hydrogen ecosystem, including 1.90m on the production-distribution side, the French government and ADEME are demonstrating their determination to support the development and structuring of an excellent green hydrogen sector in the Occitanie region, in particular to accelerate the decarbonisation of transport. Hydrogen offers a reliable and competitive alternative to conventional fuel. It also generates economic activity and jobs around a promising sector."
Pierre-André Durand, Prefect of the Occitanie region, Prefect of the Haute-Garonne, Regional Delegate for ADEME
"It is a great source of pride to be inaugurating this first hydrogen station in the Occitanie region, which is also a first for the European airport sector. Decarbonising aviation also means reducing CO2 emissions from ground operations, and hydrogen is a particularly effective lever for achieving this objective. ENGIE group is a preferred partner in the decarbonisation of the regions and HYPORT is a perfect example of the effectiveness of the collaboration with AREC Occitanie and all the local players who have contributed to making this project a success."
Frank Lacroix, ENGIE's Executive Vice President in charge of Energy Solutions.
"With HYPORT, we have demonstrated that production of green hydrogen is a reality in Occitanie. This project is unique, and so is our commitment to it. AREC, the joint shareholder with its partner ENGIE Solutions, is responding to future energy needs in mobility, industry and logistics. We are investors with a regional interest in developing and consolidating the hydrogen sector and making Occitanie Europe's first Positive Energy Region."
Christian Assaf, Chairman of the Occitanie regional energy and climate agency
"The inauguration of HYPORT, the only production and distribution station of its kind in Europe, puts the whole of the Occitanie region in the spotlight! A pioneer, the Occitanie region was the first to position itself to make green hydrogen a reality in France. As a result of the dedicated 150m plan adopted in 2019, the first on a regional scale, we are now present across the entire hydrogen chain, from research to production and the development of uses. This lead has enabled us to participate in the emergence and implementation of ground-breaking projects such as HYPORT, and to benefit from a rich and well-developed regional ecosystem, making Occitanie a pilot region at national and European level."
Carole Delga, President of the Occitanie region
"Here at Toulouse-Blagnac airport, for the first time in Europe, a green hydrogen production and distribution station is in operation to transport our passengers. With this inauguration, Toulouse-Blagnac airport once again demonstrates its deep commitment to the rapid decarbonisation of its activities and its contribution to the energy transition in the Toulouse urban area. Today, we are all demonstrating a certainty: more than ever, involvement in innovative partnership projects is the solution to the environmental challenges we face. The applications of the HYPORT station on the platform are part of a dynamic plan with concrete short-term achievements, intended to support the transformation of airports, particularly within the framework of the PHARE 2 agreement and the European STARGATE project. Once again, the pioneering spirit that has shaped our airport and our region for decades is at work here. Well done to all the teams who contributed to this success."
Philippe Crébassa, Chairman of the Management Board of Toulouse-Blagnac Airport
Key figures:
- 1 electrolyser capable of producing over 400 kg of hydrogen per day
- 2 stations, one airside and one landside
- 100% local and renewable energy
- Capacity for 20 buses or 200 light vehicles fuelled by green hydrogen per day
- 5 hydrogen-powered buses operated by Transdev, 3 for Toulouse-Blagnac Airport and 2 for Airbus employees
*Until 1 January 2024, HYPORT is buying electricity with Guarantees of Origin issued by renewable energy producers. A Guarantee of Origin certifies that the electricity has been produced from a renewable energy source and has been injected into the electrical grid. From 1 January 2024, HYPORT will buy 50% of its electricity with Guarantees of Origin from SHEM's hydropower dams in the Pyrenees and 50% renewable electricity from the Fanjeaux agrivoltaic farm in the Aude (southern France).
