WE VISIT FEBUS - hydrogen BRT line

Within the framework of the Interreg POCTEFA COMPET'plus project, we visited the FEBUS project (Pau, France), a "zero emissions" line, the first BRT with 18m pure hydrogen buses. A pioneering experience at a global and European level.

The visit allowed representatives of the Cámara de Gipuzkoa (Foro Industria eMobility), the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa and MUBIL, to learn about the technical and financial characteristics of this initiative on-site.

Idelis, the transport operator of the Pau region, serves a population of 182,000 inhabitants. and 37 municipalities. The BRT line project has involved a total investment of € 72 million, including the acquisition of 18m hydrogen fuel cell buses, electrolyzer, storage tanks, H2 recharging system, maintenance workshop and civil works of the line and the facilities. More than half of the project has risen financed with European aid and from different national and local administrations.

The energy used for the electrolyzer is 100% sustainable, coming from the waterfalls located in nearby areas of the Pyrenees.

The Compet´plus project is born from the desire to contribute to making Europe a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy. It aims to promote entrepreneurial competitiveness and innovation in SMEs by measuring cross-border economic flows between the 3 territories involved (Euskadi, Navarra and Nouvelle Aquitaine), identifying leading SMEs, start-ups, and technology centers with strong added value in 4 convergent S3 areas: Energy, Mobility, Agri-food Sector and Creative Industries.

Its partners are

  • Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie Bayonne Pays Basque (CCI BPB)
  • Orkestra - Fundación Deusto
  • Sociedad de Desarrollo de Navarra SL (SODENA)
  • Cámara de Comercio, Industria y Navegación de Gipuzkoa (Cámara Gipuzkoa – Gipuzkoako Bazkundea)
  • AECT Eurorégion Aquitaine-Euskadi-Navarra