Qair Opens Its First Renewable Hydrogen Station in Béziers

Qair has officially opened its first renewable hydrogen refuelling station in France, located in Béziers at the crossroads of the A9 and A75 highways. The choice of site is strategic: infrastructure for heavy transport needs to be positioned along real traffic routes, not just planned locations. Situated in the Méridien business zone, the station is tailored to support both regional and long-haul transport, with particular emphasis on buses, trucks, and coaches.

The station has a daily dispensing capacity of up to 600 kg of renewable hydrogen and is primarily intended for intensive, practical use rather than limited passenger car applications. The project was delivered with IMING acting as the main contractor. The inauguration brought together industry players such as Hyliko, Hysetco, Hyundai, Toyota, Solaris, and GCK Mobility, reflecting a coordinated effort to develop vehicles, infrastructure, and supply chains simultaneously.

Demand in the area will be driven in part by an order of 13 hydrogen-powered buses from Solaris, commissioned by the Béziers Méditerranée agglomeration. These buses will operate on the BeeMov public transport network, managed by RATP Dev Béziers Méditerranée, and are expected to begin service in autumn 2026 on a high-capacity bus line. Both the station and the bus fleet were selected under ADEME’s territorial hydrogen ecosystem program, receiving financial support of €1.7 million for the station and €2.9 million for the vehicles.

The Béziers facility is also integrated into the broader Corridor H2 initiative in the Occitanie region, supported by regional authorities, the European Union, and the European Investment Bank. The objective is to establish a large-scale zero-emission transport corridor that connects hydrogen production, distribution, and heavy-duty mobility. This integrated approach ensures that infrastructure and vehicle deployment evolve together, avoiding underutilized assets.

Hydrogen supply for the station is expected to come from the Hyd’Occ project, led by Qair and AREC Occitanie in Port-La Nouvelle. The initial 20 MW phase is set to launch this summer, with an annual production capacity of up to 2,700 tonnes of renewable hydrogen for regional use, including Béziers and Narbonne. A planned second phase could expand capacity to 40 MW.