The two Basel cantons aim to specifically use green hydrogen where direct electrification reaches physical, technical, or economic limits. The strategy highlights industrial high-temperature processes over 150 °C, heavy road transport, inland shipping on the Rhine, and climate-neutral emergency power supply for hospitals, data centers, and safety-critical infrastructures as focal points. In the future, synthetic fuels as hydrogen derivatives are also expected to be used in aviation.
Technology-neutral incentives and faster approvals demanded
The strategy calls for a reform of the performance-related heavy vehicle charge (LSVA) in favor of all renewable drives – battery-electric, fuel cell, and hydrogen combustion engine. Fossil energy carriers should bear their actual economic costs, including CO₂ costs. Furthermore, the cantons foresee binding guarantees of origin for renewable hydrogen, more efficient approval procedures, and so-called multi-energy hub approaches to reduce investment risks and enable gradual scaling.
Connection to the European hydrogen backbone
According to the authors, the Basel region has special structural conditions: a strong industry, trimodal logistics via Rhine, rail, and road, as well as existing tank and storage infrastructures. Through the planned connection to the European Hydrogen Backbone (EHB), the region is to gain access to large-scale imports of renewable hydrogen. These imports are expected to enable cheaper prices in the medium term than purely regional production.
Birsfelden project to receive federal funding
The strategy names a planned hydrogen site in Birsfelden as a key project. An integrated production, distribution, and application site is to be established there. The cantons are calling for federal funding for the project under the Climate and Innovation Act (KlG). According to the announcement, the strategy is closely aligned with the federal hydrogen strategy. The publisher is the H2-Hub Switzerland at the Chamber of Commerce of both Basel.
