The European Commission announced that it will allocate €422 million (USD$439 million) to 39 alternative fuel infrastructure projects, aimed at supporting the transition to cleaner transport.

Selected projects will focus on areas including the installation of public electric recharging stations for both heavy-duty and light-duty vehicles, the development of hydrogen refueling stations and onshore power installations in ports, in addition to electrifying airports and providing infrastructure shipping fuels such as ammonia and methanol.

The new investments will be provided through the EU’s Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility (AFIF), a funding instrument aimed at supporting the rollout of alternative fuels infrastructure, and as part of the AFIF’s call for proposals for projects contributing to decarbonizing transport along the trans-European transport network (TEN-T).

The AFIF funding supports the objectives of the EU’s regulation for the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure (AFIR), which mandate a significant increase in electric vehicle recharging and hydrogen refueling stations across Europe’s main transport networks, aimed at enabling the transition to zero emission transport, and addressing consumer refueling concerns that could impede the switch to zero emission vehicles.

According to the EU Commission, the selected projects will support approximately 2,500 light-duty vehicle and 2,400 heavy-duty electric recharging points along the TEN-T network, in addition to 35 hydrogen refuelling stations for cars, trucks and buses. The funding will also support projects for the electrification of ground handling services in 8 airports, the for greening 9 ports and 2 ammonia and methanol bunkering facilities.

Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, said:

“The 39 projects we are supporting today, will accelerate the deployment of critical recharging and refueling infrastructure needed for our expanding zero-emission fleets. Together, they will add nearly 5,000 new charging points, including 626 mega-watt chargers, helping citizens choose zero-emission vehicles and contribute to a cleaner environment.”