Overview

• Twenty-two fuel-cell refuse trucks now handle Freiburg’s municipal waste collections, operating quietly without tailpipe CO2 emissions.
• Vehicles are already refueled at the former landfill site, with on-site green hydrogen production slated to begin next year and commissioning expected by early 2026.
• The project expands a photovoltaic installation and adds an electrolyser to produce renewable hydrogen for the fleet.
• Total spending amounts to about €30 million including vehicles, supported by grants that were available when the switch was approved in 2020/21.
• Mayor Martin Horn says Freiburg is the first German city to run all waste-collection trucks on fuel cells, and regional utility Badenova calls the effort a showcase model.