Hydrogen network
About this good practice
The City of Ostrava is the leading partner of an integrated territorial investment network (ITI) in Ostrava conurbation. The ITI helps, amongst others, to promote CO2-free technologies and carbon neutrality.
The municipal transport company uses CNG vehicles, electric trams, and electrically powered trolleybuses only. Ostrava is the first large Czech city, which completed the transformation from diesel-powered vehicles to a public transport fleet of eco-friendly vehicles. Transition towards hydrogen is the next step. Hydrogen mobility in Ostrava is part of a broader strategy. In 2018, the city published a Memorandum of Cooperation on the Development of Hydrogen Technologies in Transportation. The common Memorandum of the municipal government of Ostrava and the government of the Moravian-Silesian Region meant a bold move towards a reduction of carbon footprint. Both parties renewed the commitment by signing a supplement to the Memorandum in 2020. In July 2022, the Moravian-Silesian Region, the Technical University of Ostrava, public subjects, and private investors signed a Memorandum of Cooperation, which concerns the founding of a Hydrogen Cluster of stakeholders. Beneficiaries of the transition are inhabitants and visitors of Ostrava and its conurbation. The transition from diesel via CNG and electricity to green hydrogen (in public transportation and beyond) is an important step and a key element on Ostrava´s way from coal mining and heavy industry towards sustainability.
Resources needed
H2 filling station-15 mil. CZK (private funding, put into public use)
municipal H2 filling station – planned for 90 mil. CZK (60 mil. CZK from OPT)
municipal H2 bus fleet – to be co-financed by IROP
Hydrogen transition (clean hydrogen production) possibly co-financed from a public Modernisation Fund
Evidence of success
By 2021, the fleet of the municipal transport company consisted of approximately 300 vehicles, incl. 224 CNG buses and 10 electric buses. The municipal company´s CNG station has the highest capacity of any facility of this type in CEE. Its hyper-powerful compressor has a total capacity of 3,500 m3. The station enables to fill dozens of eco-friendly buses every hour. A tender for a hydrogen filling station is due in 2022-2023. The clean transition is part of a strategy to reduce carbon footprint.
Potential for learning or transfer
Ostrava supports the upgrading from diesel via CNG and electricity towards hydrogen as logical stages of the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy, from coal mining and heavy industry to sustainable way of producing and living. The initiated transition towards hydrogen transportation and industry shall lead to a self-sufficiency in energy production und usage. Hydrogen is a vital option for future mobility and industry solutions. This exciting technology has the potential for a border-crossing cooperation and a dynamic development. Hydrogen can be a zero-CO2 energy resource. It can create an entirely new way of living without carbon footprint. Ostrava stepped forward by committing itself to the promotion and support of hydrogen in public transportation. Ostrava is an example of how public and private stakeholders cooperate on the promotion of new, sustainable energy resources in public life. Cooperation between researchers and business is a key element of the hydrogen network.
Further information
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.