Prime Minister opens hydrogen filling station at Oslo Airport

The Norwegian Prime Minister opened the first hydrogen filling station at the airport.

The first piece of the new infrastructure for filling hydrogen fuel in Eastern Norway is now in place and it is located at Oslo Airport.

Prime Minister Erna Solberg attended the opening together with representatives from Oslo Airport, Akershus County Authority and HYOP.

After several years of testing hydrogen as a fuel, HYOP has now taken on the task of establishing a robust hydrogen infrastructure that will make it possible to start the introduction of hydrogen cars in Eastern Norway.

The opening of the station at Oslo Airport is a collaboration between Akershus County Council, Avinor and Lillestrøm Centre of Expertise. A preliminary study has considered further possibilities for the use of hydrogen as fuel at the airport.

Ulf Hafseld, general manager of HYOP, said:

“The opening of the hydrogen station at Oslo Airport is the first piece of the infrastructure that will make it possible to launch the introduction of hydrogen cars in Norway.

“We are now working under a schedule which calls for four robust stations to open in the greater Oslo region over the next two to three years. Together with the station we have in Porsgrunn, this infrastructure will accommodate the first 2-3,000 hydrogen cars.”

Hydrogen vehicles in place at Oslo Airport

Oslo Airport bought its first hydrogen vehicle in 2014, and it is used daily by Airport Patrol officers.

Ole Jørgen H. Hanssen, head of the safety and environment staff at Oslo Airport:

“This is a very happy day for the entire region. We want to facilitate zero-emission vehicles locally, in ground transport and for external users.

“We want to phase out the use of fossil fuels in our own vehicles, and that means we need to test various technological solutions such as biofuels, electricity and hydrogen.”

The first module to be established at Oslo Airport will later be expanded to serve the expected increase in traffic.

Norway leads the way

Akershus County Authority has provided financial support for the project at the airport, and is an active participant in efforts to establish the early network of hydrogen stations, which will ensure that Norway will continue to be a world leader in the introduction of hydrogen fuel.

N.B. Image credit: avinor.no

Internet links

Oslo Airport (OSL)