Türkiye aims to launch its first operational hydrogen refueling station in early 2027 through a pilot project in the northwestern province of Balıkesir, designed to demonstrate the potential of hydrogen-powered heavy-duty road transport, a company executive said.
Murat Ascı, co-founder of Biga Hydrogen, told Anadolu on the sidelines of the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Antalya that the project would bring hydrogen production, refueling and vehicle technology together at a single site.
The initiative is being developed in Balıkesir as part of efforts to establish hydrogen infrastructure and demonstrate its potential for use in road freight transportation.
Ascı said the project would include a hydrogen refueling station capable of supplying trucks at a pressure of 700 bar, a hydrogen production facility and a hydrogen-powered truck equipped with a fuel cell.
The location was selected because Balıkesir lies along the strategic highway corridor connecting İzmir and Istanbul, one of Türkiye's major road transport routes.
"Balikesir is strategically located midway along the Izmir-Istanbul route, one of Türkiye's largest highway corridors," he said, adding that the company aimed to enable hydrogen-powered truck transportation along the route through the planned refueling station.
He added that bringing the three components together at one location would allow the company to demonstrate the technology through practical applications.
The planned investment includes 250 million Turkish liras ($5.7 million) for the pilot refueling station and 3 billion liras ($68.2 million) for the industrial facility, according to Ascı. The dollar equivalents are approximate.
- Plans to expand pilot project to industrial scale
Ascı said the company planned to seek additional incentives from the South Marmara Development Agency to expand the pilot facility to industrial scale following its initial phase.
He highlighted the hydrogen production and export potential of Balıkesir, Çanakkale, Manisa and İzmir, stressing the importance of public-private cooperation in developing the sector.
The project aims to demonstrate the potential of hydrogen-powered trucks along the İzmir-Istanbul corridor while paving the way for further investment in hydrogen infrastructure.
By Gulsen Cagatay
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr
