Swedish Port Plans Hydrogen Production Facility and Fueling

The Port of Gothenburg, Sweden is the latest European port seeking to develop a hydrogen infrastructure to produce and supply the emerging energy source. As an intermodal hub for Scandinavia port officials believe strong demand already exists and that creating a local hydrogen production facility will continue to the growth of the clean energy source.

The Gothenburg Port Authority and Norwegian energy company Statkraft agreed to conduct a more in-depth investigation of the potential for an interim storage facility and filling station at the Port of Gothenburg. A preliminary study is currently being conducted with the focus primarily on safety aspects. It is expected to be completed at the beginning of 2022.

“The Port of Gothenburg is Scandinavia’s largest port and as a hub for transport by sea, rail, and road, it operates a wide range of heavy freight-handling equipment. Hydrogen has the potential to replace fossil-based diesel for all these items of equipment,” said Arvid Guthed, Vice President, Port Development, at the Gothenburg Port Authority.

The planned facility will have an initial capacity of four MW, producing up to two tons of hydrogen per day. This is equivalent to 2,200 liters of diesel and could help reduce carbon emissions by at least four tons per day. The capacity can be expanded if demand increases and new areas of use emerge.

“We know there is already significant demand in and around the port for using equipment powered by hydrogen. A number of companies and organizations are ready and waiting and we are convinced that local production of hydrogen would represent a breakthrough,” said Guthed.

Sweden’s goal is to reduce emissions from domestic transport by 70 percent by 2030. According to the Fossil-Free Sweden Hydrogen Gas Strategy, published in January 2021, the hydrogen projects that are planned in Sweden are currently achieving a reduction of just over 30 percent of Sweden’s total national carbon emissions. Like many countries, Sweden’s plans call for an increasing use of the clean energy source as a means to combat harmful emissions.

Efforts to explore hydrogen are also proceeding at other major ports in Northern Europe, including Rotterdam as well as in Belgium, Denmark, Germany, and the U.K.