Hydrogen Lifts Logistics Out of the Deep Freeze

STEF, Toyota, and Plug Power bet on hydrogen to decarbonise refrigerated warehouses in France and Spain

11 Apr 2025

Batteries tend to shiver when the mercury drops. In Europe’s cold-storage logistics sector, where frozen food and pharmaceuticals must move without pause, sub-zero temperatures can quickly reveal the limits of electrification. A new pilot aims to solve this with hydrogen.

STEF, a French specialist in temperature-controlled logistics, has partnered with Toyota Material Handling Europe and Plug Power, a US hydrogen firm, to introduce fuel-cell forklifts at two distribution hubs: Athis-Mons near Paris and Torrejón de Ardoz near Madrid. Unlike conventional batteries, hydrogen fuel cells deliver steady power even in freezing conditions and can be refuelled in minutes rather than hours.

The Spanish site takes things further, producing its own hydrogen from solar energy to create a closed-loop system. In France, the gas is delivered externally, offering a chance to test two supply models. For Toyota, the trial supports its broader goal of embedding hydrogen into industrial mobility. Plug Power supplies not just the fuel cells, but also the refuelling stations and maintenance.

For STEF, the appeal is both operational and reputational. The firm’s vast refrigerated network is energy hungry and hard to decarbonise. Cleaner equipment that does not slow down operations offers an appealing trade-off. "The aim is to turn sustainable technologies into practical warehouse tools," says a Toyota spokesperson.

Yet hydrogen has hurdles of its own. Infrastructure is sparse, and costs remain high. Despite generous subsidies in some markets, few logistics firms have yet followed suit. Advocates argue the technology’s advantages, such as fast refuelling, high uptime and minimal emissions, will ultimately outweigh its drawbacks, especially in demanding settings like cold-chain logistics.

The pilot offers early evidence that hydrogen can deliver where batteries struggle. If the experiment succeeds, it could mark a small but significant step toward a hydrogen-powered supply chain.