After two years of waiting, Dijon Métropole is opening its first green hydrogen production and distribution station, marking an important step in its ambitious carbon-free mobility project.
This Monday, June 24, Dijon opened the doors to its first green hydrogen station, located on a 9,000 m² plot near the household waste incineration plant and the Valmy district. This installation, operating by water electrolysis, is capable of producing around 430 kg of hydrogen per day, enough to power around twenty heavy vehicles daily. A second station, planned for 2026 near the André-Gervais tram-bus workshops, on the other side of the city, will produce 1 ton of hydrogen daily.
To carry out this project, Dijon Métropole created a joint venture, Dijon Métropole Smart EnergHy (DSME), in partnership with Engie Solutions Hydrogène, IntHy and Ademe Investissements. It supports infrastructure investments and is remunerated by supplying green hydrogen to vehicles. The question of outlets for this hydrogen, however, remains crucial, especially since the first hydrogen garbage trucks, the only current users, will only consume a fraction of the daily production of 430 kg of hydrogen.
Exceptional aid from Europe
These two stations represent an investment of 30 million euros, included in an overall program of 100 million euros, which also includes the purchase of 55 to 60 buses and 22 household waste bins running on hydrogen. “ From 2035, we will avoid the release of 4,000 tonnes of CO annually2the equivalent of more than 18 million km traveled in a thermal car », declared François Rebsamen, mayor of Dijon and president of the Metropolis.
The project benefits from 24 million euros in subsidies from ADEME, the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region and the European Union, as well as a loan of 11 million euros from the Banque des Territoires. “ It would have been impossible for local authorities alone to carry out such a project without the exceptional help of Europe », added Marie-Guite Dufay, regional president.
The path has not been easy. The commissioning of the first station was delayed for two years due to technical problems. “ Electrolyzers are not yet industrialized, and we waited a long time for ours, manufactured by McPhy, because of corrosion problems», explained François Rebsamen. In addition, the bankruptcy of the Belgian manufacturer Van Hool last April delayed the delivery of hydrogen buses. “ Our order was not honored. We are launching a new call for tenders, but this will cause a delay in the commissioning of these buses“, he clarified.
Two garbage dumpsters in service, soon four
The high costing of vehicles and green hydrogen also poses challenges. Hydrogen vehicles cost around three times more than their thermal equivalents. For example, a hydrogen garbage dumpster costs 825,000 euros to purchase, compared to 350,000 euros for a thermal version. Additionally, green hydrogen is nearly four times more expensive than gray hydrogen, produced by steam reforming (or steam reforming) of natural gas. However, Dijon aims to create a real short circuit for hydrogen, using local electricity for electrolysis and powering the city’s heavy vehicles with the hydrogen produced.
While waiting for the arrival of hydrogen buses, the two garbage dumpsters currently in service, to which two others will be added by the end of 2024, mark Dijon’s first steps in the hydrogen era Green.
Dijon is currently hosting the Hydrogen Days in the Territories (JH2T), from June 24 to 27. This national event brings together more than 800 participants (elected officials, industrialists, community services, research and innovation players, territories).
