Under the deal, the partners will seek to replicate the clean hydrogen infrastructure being built at VINCI’s Lyon-Saint Exupéry airport, France, which they say will make it the first of its kind in Latin America.

Read more: Airbus, Air Liquide and VINCI Airport to develop Europe’s first hydrogen airport by 2023

Air Liquide will lead the development, with plans to additionally install an electrolyser to produce green hydrogen, with Copec constructing a hydrogen gas station at the airport to supply both airport ground vehicles and heavy goods vehicles around the airport.

H2 View understands Copec will continually evaluate the demand for hydrogen and consider facilitating hydrogen aviation fuel in the future.

Renewables company Colbún  is set to build renewable energy infrastructure to power the electrolyser.

The plan comes after the airport committed to reducing its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 40% by 2030 and reach carbon neutrality by 2050.

Xavier Lortat-Jacob, General Manager of Neuvo Pudahuel, said, “As a concessionaire, we have a commitment to the State of Chile. We recently delivered a new terminal, which considerably increases the quality and areas for international flights.

“We are promoting its use with new routes and new airlines, but we need to do it making sure we grow while acting for the care of the environment.

“We do it by using this clean energy, in the development of which our key shareholders have been pioneers. Green hydrogen will allow us to support the growth of air transport in harmony with the environment.”