The purpose of the study carried out in the spring was to investigate the location of the operations of a hydrogen filling station serving mainly heavy-duty vehicle traffic on a plot planned for Lahti along Vanhanradankatu.

- The Vanhanradankatu site is well thought out and, in terms of traffic, in a good location along the southern ring road of Lahti, considering the potential demand for hydrogen distribution, says Vesa-Petri Helenius, Department Manager at Sitowise.

Sitowise has acted as an expert partner in a situation where there are no established guidelines or regulations related to the topic to support zoning.

Markus Lehmuskoski, City of Lahti

The report also examined the boundary conditions for the location of functions on a general level and prepared sketch drawings for the placement of functions. The necessary criteria for determining safety distances were also discussed, and technical and traffic feasibility, space reservations, equipment placement possibilities and the location of a possible high-power charging station on the same site were assessed.

- In terms of space use and traffic, it is possible to implement a smoothly operating filling station on the plot, provided that solutions can be found in terms of protection structures and safety distances as the planning progresses. In the possible planning phase, it will be necessary to weigh up where the explosive force will be directed in the event of an accident – to the outdoor route on the western side, or, for example, cross Vanhanradankatu to the east or parallel to it to the south, says Minna Pirinen, Senior Specialist at Sitowise.

A detailed plan amendment is pending in the target area, and it is possible to influence the boundaries and zoning regulations of the plot to be formed. With minor changes, the detailed plan proposal can be modified to enable the construction of a hydrogen distribution station. 

- The report prepared for the City of Lahti is strategically important and also a prerequisite for promoting the project in question and enabling detailed planning. Sitowise has acted as an expert partner in a situation where there are no established guidelines or regulations related to the topic to support zoning. In addition to more detailed and site-specific fit examinations, the completed study provides more general instructions for locating a similar function elsewhere if necessary, says Markus Lehmuskoski, from City of Lahti.

The grant to the City of Lahti for the project was granted by the Ministry of the Environment with the European Union's NextGenerationEU as its source of funding. In addition, the study required compliance with the terms of government subsidies granted by the Ministry of the Environment, including the principle of "do no significant harm" (DNSH principle).