Madrid Inaugurates Europe’s First Hydrogen Refueling Station for Buses
Image by EMT Madrid
Earlier this month, Madrid opened the first hydrogen refueling station for buses in Europe. A number of local officials and representatives participated in the inauguration of the facility at EMT’s Entrevías Operations Center, namely the Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, Urban Planning, Environment, and Mobility delegate, Borja Carabante, Puente de Vallecas councilor Ángel Niño, and EMT General Manager, Alfonso Sánchez Vicente.
The new hydrogen refueling station is directly related to the MOBILITIES FOR EU project and it's Living Lab in Madrid, and with it's opening serves as a shining example of how the project's Living Labs are already accelerating the adoption of solutions for sustainable urban mobility across Europe.
The state-of-the-art hydrogen station encompasses the entire hydrogen cycle: production, compression, storage, and distribution of green hydrogen. Spread over 49,618m², the facility generates hydrogen through water electrolysis, leveraging engineering innovations by Spanish companies. EMT spearheaded the design, construction, and management of this groundbreaking project, which also includes the installation of 2,780 photovoltaic panels to power the station.
Initially, the hydrogen station will fuel ten buses manufactured by Portuguese company CaetanoBus, each boasting a range of 280 kilometers or 20 hours of street service.
A Major Step Toward Sustainable Mobility
This facility represents a decisive advancement in EMT’s green hydrogen project, positioning hydrogen as a cornerstone of Madrid’s sustainable mobility strategy. EMT has been at the forefront of hydrogen innovation, having introduced hydrogen fuel cell buses in European pilot projects from 2002 to 2006, making it Spain’s first operator in this field.
The €11.3 million project received €2.65 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Additionally, the acquisition of the new buses is 39.12% co-funded by NextGenerationEU under the Recovery Plan.
This milestone positions Madrid as a leader in green transport innovation, paving the way for a cleaner, more sustainable urban future.
Check out EMT Madrid’s video of the new refueling station, and learn more about the Madrid Living Lab.
Author: MOBILITIES for EU
