France Breaks Ground With Revolutionary Green Hydrogen Station – A First For Centre-Val De Loire

While France continues to expand its green energy infrastructure, the town of Sorigny near Tours has taken a major step forward. On May 15, 2024, local municipal authorities inaugurated the region’s first green hydrogen refueling station, marking a significant achievement for the Centre-Val de Loire region.

The new facility, named COSMHYC DEMO hydrogen refuelling station, is located in the Indre-et-Loire department of central France. It’s designed to service hydrogen-powered vehicles using modern compression and dispensing technologies. The station will provide a complete refueling experience for drivers of zero-emission hydrogen vehicles in the area.

Innovative COSMHYC DEMO station delivers cutting-edge hydrogen refueling for zero-emission vehicles in central France’s Indre-et-Loire department.

This pioneering project accelerates sustainable mobility across the region and demonstrates the viability of hydrogen as an alternative to traditional fossil fuels. By supporting zero-emission vehicles, the station will help reduce carbon emissions from transportation, a key goal in France’s clean energy evolution. This initiative contributes to the country’s broader efforts to develop sustainable energy solutions that can significantly reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

The hydrogen station represents a strategic achievement for regional authorities. It positions Indre-et-Loire as a leader in hydrogen technology adoption and contributes to the development of European hydrogen corridors. The station strategically sits one kilometre from A10, providing easy access for hydrogen-powered vehicles traveling through the Trans-European Transport Network. The project showcases how public sector entities can successfully implement hydrogen infrastructure.

Future plans include establishing the Hy’Touraine project and developing a local green hydrogen production unit. These initiatives may lead to an expanded hydrogen refueling network throughout the region, integrated with broader transportation systems.

The project resulted from collaboration between public and private sector partners, with strong support from local government agencies. This cooperation highlights community commitment to sustainable transportation initiatives.

Beyond environmental benefits, the station creates new jobs in the green hydrogen technology sector and could attract additional clean energy investments to Indre-et-Loire. The development of a specialized workforce for hydrogen infrastructure maintenance will contribute to regional economic diversification.

As France’s hydrogen network continues to grow, this station serves as an important model for similar projects nationwide, demonstrating how local initiatives can drive national progress toward cleaner mobility solutions. This development aligns with the national goal of achieving 6.5 GW electrolyser capacity by 2030, despite recent target adjustments.