The European Commission has earmarked over €424 million to propel zero-emission mobility across the continent, endorsing 42 innovative projects under the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility (AFIF).
This significant financial injection aims to accelerate the deployment of essential infrastructure, including electric charging points, hydrogen refueling stations for cars, trucks, and buses, and the electrification of ground handling services at 21 airports, aligning with the European Union’s Green Deal ambitions.
Comprehensive Support for Sustainable Transportation
Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean highlighted the ongoing commitment to transforming Europe’s transport sector: “Since 2021, the EU has granted over €1.3 billion through AFIF to several projects, deploying 26,396 electric recharging points, 202 hydrogen refueling stations, and electrifying ground operations in 63 airports. This last call was the most successful regarding the projects’ number and quality so far, showing the growing interest in hydrogen and electric charging infrastructure.” These efforts are part of the broader strategy to decarbonize transport along the EU’s Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T).
Strategic Funding and Infrastructure Development
The selected projects will support approximately 4,200 electric recharging points along the TEN-T road network and establish 48 hydrogen refueling stations. This initiative is complemented by the electrification of ground operations at 21 strategically important airports, further demonstrating the EU’s dedication to reducing carbon emissions in the transport sector.
The Director of the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA), Paloma Aba Garrote, emphasized the strategic nature of these investments: “We continue to support projects of paramount importance to the realization of the objectives laid out under the EU Green Deal. With this new selection, the European Union is showing that a transition to zero-emission transport through alternative fuels is not a dream for the future, but something that is happening now across the EU.”
Ongoing Calls and Future Prospects
A new AFIF call for proposals is currently open, with a budget of €1 billion for the 2024-2025 period, aimed at continuing the support for the deployment of alternative fuel supply infrastructure. This is implemented through a rolling call for proposals, with multiple cut-off dates for the submission of proposals until the end of 2025.
Following the EU Member States’ approval of the selected projects on April 9, 2024, the European Commission will soon adopt the award decision, making the results definitive. Preparation of the grant agreements with the beneficiaries is already underway, signaling rapid progress towards enhancing Europe’s transport infrastructure and its environmental sustainability.
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