Hydrogen-fueled forklifts now qualify for financial aid in the Occitanie Region
Occitanie Region Embraces Hydrogen for Mobility and Infrastructure
The Occitanie Region in France has taken a significant step towards a greener future by adopting two support schemes last October. These schemes aim to help businesses, communities, and stakeholders in the hydrogen sector meet mobility and infrastructure challenges.
The schemes are part of a broader national €7 billion hydrogen plan, which promotes hydrogen adoption notably in buses and light commercial vehicles. However, they do not explicitly single out forklifts. Despite this, the Occitanie Region has recently added forklifts to the list of hydrogen uses eligible for financial assistance.
Notable companies like Safran, Fenwick, Stellantis, Hyvia, Hysetco, Hyundai, Hyliko, and GCK are already offering hydrogen-powered vehicles. Fenwick, in particular, is contributing to this progress and aims to see the system duplicated in other regions of France. The company has implemented a complete solution to support companies transitioning to hydrogen, including equipment, energy, infrastructure, maintenance, and financing.
Anthony Vernizeau, Product and Energy Marketing Manager at FenwickLinde, stated that there has been a surge in interest in hydrogen from their customers in recent months. This interest is likely driven by the financial aid offered by the Occitanie Region. For a large company, the aid represents 25% of the additional cost compared to a diesel solution, 40% for medium-sized companies, and 50% for small companies.
The Call for Expressions of Interest (CEI), titled "Densification of the H2 station network in Occitanie", is open until 30/05/2025. The objective of the CEI is to identify hydrogen refueling infrastructure projects in relevant or strategic areas, complementing the first network initiated by the "Corridor H2 Occitanie" project.
Benjamin Févre, facilitator of Ad'Occ, is coordinating and running the regional HyDeO tool. The actions carried out concern the entire chain, from research to production, including distribution and the development of uses. The Occitanie region has implemented a development plan worth €150 million, from 2020 to 2030, for the green hydrogen sector.
Users of hydrogen-powered forklifts can now apply for financial aid from the Occitanie region. However, as of July 2025, there appears to be no specific, publicly detailed financial assistance or subsidy program dedicated solely to hydrogen-powered forklifts in Occitanie or France. Instead, support seems more generalized toward hydrogen infrastructure and fuel cell vehicles—including buses and trucks—with potential spillover benefits for forklifts in the future.
It is advisable for companies in Occitanie interested in hydrogen forklifts to consult regional and national hydrogen/innovation agencies for updates on emerging targeted programs. In the meantime, they could also focus on battery electric technologies where financial and industrial support is more visible.
References:
- France's €7 billion hydrogen plan
- Manitou-Hangcha JV for lithium-ion battery production
- Green hydrogen production
- Anthony Vernizeau on hydrogen interest
- Manitou-Hangcha JV for lithium-ion battery production (French)
- The Occitanie Region's green hydrogen plan, part of France's broader €7 billion hydrogen strategy, encourages businesses to transition toward hydrogen-powered vehicles in mobility and infrastructure, extended recently to include forklifts.
- In line with the Occitanie Region's development plan for the green hydrogen sector worth €150 million, Fenwick, a leading company in the region, is providing a comprehensive solution to assist companies in adopting hydrogen, addressing equipment, energy, infrastructure, maintenance, and financing needs.
- As the Call for Expressions of Interest for hydrogen refueling infrastructure projects in Occitanie remains open until 2025, smaller and medium-sized companies can benefit from substantial financial assistance of up to 50% compared to diesel solutions when adopting green hydrogen technologies, given the surge in interest driven by the regional financial aid offered.
