Ovako has a long-standing commitment to investing in technologies that help make steel production more sustainable. This included the commissioning in 2023 of an electrolysis plant at its Hofors mill in Sweden to produce hydrogen for heating of steel. The opening of Hydri’s new public hydrogen refueling station on the site marks another important step forward. The station will soon be supplied with hydrogen from Ovako’s own facility, which creates new opportunities to reduce emissions beyond its own operations.
The transport sector accounts for around one third of Sweden’s carbon emissions, making it a key area in the transition to a more sustainable society. Hydrogen-powered vehicles offer the potential for zero-emission transport, combined with fast refuelling.
Hydri is developing hydrogen solutions and infrastructure with the ambition of establishing a nationwide network of hydrogen refuelling stations. Today, its network stretches from Skåne in the south, via Gothenburg, to Stockholm. The Hofors station marks the first step in Hydri’s continued expansion northwards, helping to make hydrogen more readily available and support the transition to fossil-free transport.
Connecting the hydrogen value chain in Hofors
From the outset, the ambition behind Ovako’s hydrogen facility in Hofors was to go beyond using hydrogen solely in its own production. Hydrogen can also be used as a fuel for transport, creating opportunities to deliver materials to customers using hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks.
This has the potential to reduce emissions at two stages of the value chain. First, in the production of steel, and then in transporting it to customers. In this way, the hydrogen investment creates value not only for Ovako, but also for customers and society at large.
Making hydrogen a viable transport fuel requires the right infrastructure. Hydri’s new public refueling station along the E16 is an important piece of that infrastructure. Hydri is responsible for the investment and establishment of the station, while Ovako will soon supply it with hydrogen.
Several key elements of the hydrogen value chain are now connected in Hofors, from hydrogen production to refuelling infrastructure. This creates new opportunities to connect production, transportation, and customers in ways that can help accelerate the transition to more sustainable transport.
Celebrating the future of transport
The station was officially opened on 7 October 2026, bringing together representatives from business, the transport sector, local government, and the regional authorities to discuss the transition to more sustainable heavy-duty transport.
The new station is a tangible example of how the long-term investment in hydrogen can create benefits beyond Ovako's own operations. It not only supports the transition within Ovako, but also contributes to the development of a more sustainable industrial and transport sector beyond its own gates.
