An analysis by the Catholic University of the Holy Conception and the University of Bío-Bío demonstrates that intensive use and interregional logistics corridors are key to closing the gap with diesel, a central debate that will be part of the content of Hyvolution Chile 2026 between September 1 and 3.
Freight transport in Chile faces a crucial moment: with over 90% of the freight fleet relying on diesel, replacing large trucks with zero-emission alternatives is a priority for achieving carbon neutrality. Faced with this challenge, green hydrogen technology has emerged as a concrete solution, although its economic viability depends on very specific operational variables. This is revealed in a recent study published in the prestigious scientific journal Applied Sciences, led by researchers from the Energy Center of the Catholic University of the Holy Conception (UCSC) in collaboration with the University of Bío-Bío. The study analyzed the technical and economic performance of the first hydrogen-powered trucks incorporated into the country compared to their diesel equivalents.
The analysis, published by H2 News, demonstrates that the financial equation for hydrogen goes far beyond the price per kilogram of fuel. While the initial acquisition cost of these vehicles currently results in a higher total cost of ownership, the determining factor in closing the gap with diesel lies in the intensity of use. The more kilometers a truck travels and the longer its time on the road, the faster the investment is recouped. For this reason, interregional logistics corridors, port-related operations, mining, and captive high-tonnage fleets are emerging as the most competitive and viable entry points for initiating the energy transition on Chilean roads.
“We conducted a techno-economic analysis to identify the necessary conditions for implementing hydrogen trucks in Chile and to determine which variables have the greatest impact on their economic viability. This allows us to focus our efforts on the factors that can truly make this technology competitive in our country”, explained Dr. Ricardo Lizana, a researcher at the UCSC Energy Center and corresponding author of the study, which was developed in collaboration with Matías León, Dr. Eduardo Espinosa, Dr. Guillermo Ramírez, Dr. Samuel Vergara, Ricardo León, and Dr. Pedro Eduardo Melín.
On long-distance routes, such as the strategic corridor between the Biobío Region and the Metropolitan Region, the numbers begin to align favorably. “One tends to think that the biggest impact is solely on the cost of hydrogen. While it is a significant variable, factors such as kilometers traveled and effective vehicle use allow for a considerable reduction in that gap. On long-distance routes, costs become much more competitive”, explains Lizana.
In this landscape of opportunities, the Biobío Region emerges with a unique tactical advantage. While traditional production via electrolysis is still limited by electricity prices, the study highlights that the Biobío industrial sector generates renewable hydrogen as a byproduct. After a purification process, this fuel can directly supply heavy transport at a substantially lower cost than the current market price. This characteristic makes the region an ideal natural laboratory for deploying pilot projects in high-tonnage vehicles that travel over 500 kilometers daily.
The research does not aim to present hydrogen as a magically cheaper solution in the present, but rather to provide a rigorous roadmap for its progressive scaling up. Having this data allows for focusing public and private investments where the impact is immediate, accelerating the learning curve while technology prices continue to fall globally.
“This research provides evidence on the conditions that must be met for hydrogen trucks to be competitive with diesel. It demonstrates that there are existing scenarios in Chile, especially in the Biobío Region, where this technology can begin to be implemented gradually. Furthermore, it highlights the potential of renewable hydrogen available in the region as an alternative for developing pilot projects and advancing the decarbonization of freight transport, while the production costs of green hydrogen continue to decrease”, Lizana concluded.
Advances, technical feasibility studies, and concrete solutions for the decarbonization of heavy transport will be central to the debates, conferences, and innovations presented at Hyvolution Chile, the region’s most important green hydrogen and clean energy event, which will take place from September 1 to 3 at the Espacio Riesco convention center.