Axpo and its partner shareholders in the H2Uri company to mark the start of construction on a new green H₂ production plant in Bürglen, central Switzerland. The facility will be Axpo's second such plant in the country. From 2026, green H₂ from the 2-MW plant will fuel the first H₂ passenger vessel on Lake Lucerne, as well as other applications.

Axpo and partners Schätzle AG, EWA-Energie Uri, and SGV Holding AG (Schifffahrtsgesellschaft Vierwaldstättersee) broke ground on the site of a new H₂ production plant to be constructed by H2Uri, a company in which all four partners are shareholders. The plant will be located adjacent to the EWA-Energie Uri hydropower plant in Bürglen, which will supply it with green electricity for the production of H₂. An annual production of up to 260 tons of green H₂ is planned, saving the use of more than one million liters of diesel.

Axpo Head of Power Plants and Green Gases Guy Bühler said, “Having already gained valuable experience with our green H₂ plant in Domat/Ems, this project in Bürglen is a continuation of our strategy to play our part in the development of the H₂ economy in Switzerland.”

“The new plant’s green H₂ will be used, among other things, to power the passenger vessel ‘Saphir’ on Lake Lucerne. SGV Managing Director Stefan Schulthess said, “By converting the vessel to a H₂ fuel cell system, we can significantly reduce our CO₂ emissions. Plans for this are already well advanced.”

H2Uri shareholder Schätzle AG, which operates an Avia H₂ refueling station in central Switzerland, will also purchase green H₂ produced by the plant. Axpo and its partners aim to have the new facility up and running as early as next year.

The inclusion of H₂ in the energy mix will help strengthen Switzerland’s security of supply. Axpo is also driving forward its decarbonization efforts with other investments in H₂ projects, regionally, nationally and internationally.

Axpo’s head of H₂ Guy Bühler continued, “There are still many challenges in the H₂ market, so I don’t expect progress to be continual. But nevertheless, I remain convinced that decarbonization cannot be achieved through electrification alone. H₂ will be part of the solution.”

Axpo continues to participate in various H₂ related events to share experience and ideas. The company also relies on appropriate national and international partnerships to further develop its own projects along the H₂ value chain, cooperating with decision-makers and thought leaders in the field.

The ambition of Axpo's H₂ team can also be seen in the planned green H₂ production plant at Wildegg-Brugg in the Swiss canton of Aargau. After an initial delay in obtaining a building permit, construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2025.

Axpo’s Bühler added, “While this plant is being built, we’re planning to supply our partner Voegtlin-Meyer’s nearby H₂ refueling station with green H₂ from Axpo’s production facilities in Domat/Ems and, when it comes onstream, Bürglen.”

The Wildegg-Brugg project aims to contribute to the sustainable supply of green H₂ for transportation and industrial uses in the surrounding region. Its H₂ will also fuel Voegtlin-Meyer buses operated on behalf of Switzerland’s PostAuto AG network.