Air Liquide has inaugurated the Pont de l’Alma hydrogen distribution station in Paris, initially opened in 2015 for COP21. Having fallen into disuse, it was renovated to serve cabs and hydrogen-powered buses during the Olympic Games. François Jackow, CEO of Air Liquide, comments: “With this reopening, we hope to implement concrete decarbonized transport solutions in the face of climate change, and help reduce the carbon footprint of the Olympic Games” via green hydrogen.
Station capabilities and ambitions
The station fills up with hydrogen in three to five minutes at 700 bar, enabling 500 kilometers of CO2-free driving, according to Nicolas Droin, General Manager of Air Liquide Industrie in France. During the Games, from July 26 to August 11, the station will be powered exclusively by green hydrogen, produced by electrolysis of water with green electricity.
Hydrogen for Olympic mobility
Pierre Cunéo, Director of Transportation for Paris 2024, emphasizes the importance of the partnership with Air Liquide. A fleet of 500 hydrogen-powered cars, combined with other electric vehicles and the public transport network, will enable 200,000 people to get around every day. A dozen hydrogen-powered buses will also be used.
Expanding hydrogen infrastructure
Ile-de-France, with five active hydrogen stations, plans to open three more in the near future. Because of its location, the Alma station can deliver 150 kilos of hydrogen per day, representing around fifty full tanks. David Belliard, deputy mayor of Paris and an ecologist, stresses the importance of the station for the development of low-carbon transport.
After the Olympic Games, the Parisian hydrogen cab fleet managed by HysetCo is set to double, incorporating the 500 Mirai vehicles supplied by Toyota. Loic Voisin, President of HysetCo, also announces the addition of 115 vehicles adapted for people with reduced mobility.
