Estonia: Alexela to open first hydrogen filling stations in Tallinn in 2024

TALLINN – Estonian energy group Alexela will open two green hydrogen filling stations in Tallinn in October of next year, one of them will be a filling station for passenger cars on Peterburi Road and the other a filling station for hydrogen buses and trucks in Vao in cooperation with Utilitas.

In addition, Alexela will be ready to start offering hydrogen cylinders to consumers next year. The construction permit for the first hydrogen filling station has been issued, the equipment and technology have been ordered and are expected to arrive by September next year. The hydrogen sold in Estonia will be 100 percent green, meaning it is produced from renewable sources, the company said.

"We know that next fall 30 hydrogen vehicles aimed at public transport will reach the market and car dealers predict that hundreds more cars and heavy equipment, including buses, trucks and ships, will also hit the market in the coming years. If hydrogen becomes even more affordable in terms of price, we expect a revolution in the market, because a hydrogen car can be refueled for 500 kilometers in 5 minutes, it is as reliable as a gasoline car in winter conditions, and instead of polluting, it cleans already polluted city air," Alexela's energy sales division manager Tarmo Karsna said, adding that there are currently only a handful of hydrogen cars on Estonian roads and those vehicles are refueled in Riga.

According to University of Tartu researcher Ove Oll, Estonian green energy has a problem with controlled loads -- if the wind does not blow and the sun does not shine, then it is not possible to get green energy.

"In the case of hydrogen, we can talk about both controlled production and load, meaning we can produce green hydrogen cheaply in windy and sunny weather. If more wind farms are added and some offshore wind farms as well, all the prerequisites for the production of environmentally friendly hydrogen at a competitive price have been created," Oll said.

The main advantage of hydrogen is the fact that it can be produced in advance and once a critical volume is reached, the prerequisites for a competitive price are created. The first public procurement for a ferry is coming to an end, various car manufacturers are coming out with new hydrogen cars, and more and more mobile technical gadgets are being produced that do not need an electrical plug. According to Alexela, state investments and support mechanisms accelerate the introduction of alternative fuels into the market and encourage private sector contributions.