Deploying Hydrogen Systems to Support Costa Rica's Decarbonization Plan

Our Opportunity

Building on their longstanding commitment to a sustainable economy, Costa Rica launched a National Decarbonization Plan in 2018, which aims for a net-zero emissions economy by 2050. The transportation sector is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and focus of the decarbonization plan, targeting 70% electrification of commercial transportation (ex: trucking, taxis, buses) by 2035.  

The differing requirements for the various transportation types require a mix of solutions to reach the targets outlined in the plan. From long haul heavy payload trucking, to short distance inner-city transit, hydrogen fuel cell EVs will play a key role alongside battery EVs.

As hydrogen infrastructure is developed in Costa Rica, can we explore opportunities for additional use cases and test to promote their sustainability?

Our Approach:

Toyota Mobility Foundation initiated our second project in Costa Rica in 2020 after completing an initiative over the prior year to develop a hydrogen micro-grid in Liberia demonstrating hydrogen transportation use cases with a group which included CRUSA, Ad Astra, Purdy Motor, and others. The second project builds on the first by expanding to commercial hydrogen use for heavy duty trucking and manufacturing.

Additionally, in order to coordinate Costa Rica's hydrogen ecosystem and promote its use across the country, the group involved in the first initiative, along with a few additional companies and organizations, formed an Alliance for Hydrogen for management of business, planning, and operations. The Alliance allows for investment by new parties with emphasis on financial sustainability and profit generation in the long term.

As the commercial use cases develop, the Alliance will tackle creating and balancing markets for supply and demand simultaneously. This unique approach will help prime the market for hydrogen technology and services as a test to learn from and leverage in future projects.