(Freiburg, Germany) – The city of Freiburg has opened a hydrogen refueling station. The energy carrier will primarily supply the municipal vehicle fleet of "Abfallwirtschaft und Stadtreinigung Freiburg" (ASF), which has been fully converted to fuel cell vehicles since the beginning of 2025. Currently, 22 vehicles are in operation. The new hydrogen refueling station complements the existing facility in the Zähringen district, thus ensuring redundancy in the supply. The station is sized to accommodate a potential expansion of the ASF fleet in the coming years.
Gas station opening in Freiburg (from left): Badenova board member Dirk Sattur, Michael Broglin (Managing Director of ASF and ASF Solar), Christine Buchheit (Mayor for the Environment), Martin Horn (Mayor), and Dirk Sommerhalter (Managing Director of ITG). © Badenova / Jonas Conklin
ASF Solar GmbH is responsible for the project. The joint subsidiary of ASF and the energy supplier Badenova AG will commission the additional necessary infrastructure on the site of the former Eichelbuck landfill in the first quarter of 2026: a photovoltaic system, electrolyzer, buffer storage, and a hydrogen compressor, including the technical peripherals.
A new 2,6-megawatt solar farm will be installed on the eastern slope of the landfill this year. Starting in 2026, approximately 40 percent (2,5 gigawatt hours) of the electricity generated there will supply the newly constructed electrolysis plant, which will be capable of producing up to 140 tons of green hydrogen annually. Until its commissioning, the filling station will be supplied with hydrogen from a regional gas supplier.
The hydrogen compressor compresses the hydrogen to over 800 bar, allowing refueling in just 15 minutes. Depending on the collection route, refueling is required once or twice a week. Commissioning of the entire facility, including refueling of vehicles with the green hydrogen produced on-site, is planned for the beginning of the second quarter of 2026.
For the pilot project, a photovoltaic system will be installed at the former Eichelbuck landfill. © Badenova / Jonas Conklin
The total investment for the entire project amounts to approximately eight million euros. Of this, 4,25 million euros were provided through grants: three million from the City of Freiburg's Future Fund, 600.000 from the State of Baden-Württemberg, 500.000 from the Innovation and Technology Promotion Agency (ITG), and 150.000 euros from the Badenova Innovation Fund.
For Badenova, the project has a pilot character: “It is our first concrete example of green hydrogen production in Freiburg and a pioneer for further decentralized projects,” says Badenova board member Dirk Sattur.
Photo above
Freiburg is getting a hydrogen filling station and electrolyzer powered by green electricity. © Badenova / Jonas Conklin
