Green alternative to diesel: Denmark’s largest charging station for electric trucks has now opened in Hirtshals
It has now become significantly easier for hauliers to charge their electric trucks. Port of Hirtshals has opened Denmark’s largest charging station for electric trucks, and it is not only and advantage for hauliers. The charging station also contributes to strengthening Port of Hirtshals’ position as a particularly important traffic hub for freight transport in Northern Europe.
There is a need for more charging stations for electric trucks, as the number of electric trucks is expected to increase significantly in the coming years. Therefore, E.ON Drive Infrastructure, in collaboration with Port of Hirtshals and Hirtshals Transport Center, opened Denmark’s largest charging station for electric trucks on Wednesday, right at Hirtshals Transport Center.
- The opening of the charging station provides hauliers with entirely new opportunities to use electric trucks when transporting goods over long distances. Until now, hauliers have only had the option to charge at their own depots, but it must be easy to charge the trucks – otherwise, they will be reluctant to invest in electric trucks. With the new charging stations at the transport center, we are making an important contribution to make the transportation sector greener, says Michael Langballe, Head of Transport & Logistics at Port of Hirtshals.
The port is a part of Jyllandskorridoren (Jutland Corridor), one of the most important transport corridors between Norway, Sweden, and Central Europe, and is thus also participating in the Grønn Jyllandskorridor (Green Jutland Corridor) project. The aim of this project is to contribute to the development of a more efficient and environmentally friendly transport system.
The new charging station is a crucial initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector, which accounts for about a quarter of Europe’s total CO2 emissions.
The new charging station consists of three fast chargers at 400 kW each, capable of charging six electric trucks simultaneously. The stands can be scaled up to 1 MW when the technology is in place.
- The charging station ensures that it becomes more attractive for hauliers to adopt an alternative to diesel-powered trucks. Now, they can charge their trucks before boarding a ferry or after disembarking from a ferry heading south. Being one of the key hubs between Norway and Denmark and the rest of the European continent, the location of the charging station in Hirtshals also enhances opportunities to serve the Norwegian market and the North Atlantic, says Michael Langballe.
Later this year, one of Denmark’s first refuelling stations with liquefied natural gas (LNG) for trucks is set to open at Port of Hirtshals. The LNG facility ensures that hauliers have yet another alternative to diesel.
- The transportation sector is increasingly considering the climate by reducing CO2 emissions, and when we in Hirtshals can offer both fast charging stations and liquefied natural gas for trucks, we become even more attractive to companies involved in freight transport. We are at the forefront when it comes to alternatives to traditional fuels, but our ambitions go even further, and we will undertake more initiatives in the coming years, says Port of Hirtshals’ CEO, Per Holm Nørgaard.
The opening of the charging station on Wednesday took place with the participation of, among others, CEO Anders Krag from E.ON Drive Infrastructure Denmark, Chairman of Folketingets Transportudvalg Rasmus Prehn and Lotte Vang, Head of Green Transition at Hjørring Municipality. All of them delivered speeches at the charging stations.
Takes responsibility for green transition
The establishment of the new charging stations is yet another testament to Port of Hirtshals’ contribution to the green transformation of freight transport. The charging station is far from the only initiative by the port and aligns directly with the port’s clear goal of becoming the greenest port in Europe. A central element of this goal is to make Port of Hirtshals a hub for the production and consumption of green energy.
