Refuelling station launched as Aberdeen leads the way in hydrogen technology
27 February 2017
Aberdeen’s second hydrogen refuelling station was officially opened today [Monday, 27 February] along with the launch of a fleet of 10 hydrogen fuelled Toyota Mirai cars.
Aberdeen City Council’s lead member for hydrogen, Councillor Barney Crockett was joined by Toyota GB President and Managing Director - Paul Van Der Burgh, and Hydrogenics CEO – Filip Smeets to open the Aberdeen City Hydrogen Energy Storage (ACHES) facility.
The £2.6million station will serve the city’s expanding fleet of cars and vans and will be fully operational mid-March. Funded by Aberdeen City Council, ERDF, Transport Scotland and Nestrans, it was built and will be maintained and operated by Hydrogenics.
Located in Cove, ACHES has four electric recharging points and has the potential to produce 130kg of hydrogen per day. Enabling fast refuelling, hydrogen is dispensed at 350 bar and 700 bar pressure.
There are also training facilities on site, allowing the opportunities within the hydrogen supply chain to be investigated. Working alongside local businesses, Aberdeen City Council will explore new hydrogen related products and services.
The 10 Toyota Mirai cars will be leased for three years with five going to the National Health Service (NHS), three to the Co-wheels car club, one to Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) and one to Aberdeen City Council. The project is part funded by the UK Government Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) and Transport Scotland.
Councillor Barney Crockett said: “We have a very clear hydrogen strategy for the future and ACHES adds to the expanding hydrogen infrastructure in Aberdeen. Maintaining our position as a leading world energy city, the region continues to lead the way and anchor renewable energy to the area.
"The Aberdeen Hydrogen Bus Project has been a major success and is helping to inform the growth and development of hydrogen technologies and the hydrogen industry. The benefits of this latest project complement what has been achieved already will be felt locally, nationally and internationally.”
ACHES will help contribute to the Aberdeen City Region Hydrogen Strategy and Action plan 2015-2025 as the fleet continues to expand. Ten buses and a variety of vans and cars are in place, with more expected to be added this year.
Transport Minister Humza Yousaf said: “This latest expansion of hydrogen refuelling capabilities in Aberdeen means that a true hydrogen hub now exists in the North East. This has been possible through a funding partnership between Scottish Ministers, the EU, and the City Council. Congratulations also to the city on their successful bid to OLEV’s hydrogen vehicle support scheme, which will see one of the largest single deployments of zero emission Toyota Mirai vehicles in the country. These, along with the bus fleet and other vehicles are a highly visible sign of Scotland’s commitment to a cleaner future for transport.”
Paul Van der Burgh, Toyota GB President and Managing Director, said: “We are delighted to welcome the opening of the hydrogen station today and are very pleased that our Mirai hydrogen cars will be playing an important role in the Aberdeen City hydrogen strategy, expanding the council’s hydrogen fleet and helping to make zero emission transport a reality.”
Nestrans Director, Derick Murray, said, “Nestrans are pleased to be able to support initiatives which encourage the use of alternative fuels as these help to reduce carbon emissions from the transport network and improve air quality.
“Aberdeen is already home to Europe’s largest hydrogen fuel cell bus fleet and this is now the city’s second hydrogen refuelling station which really builds on the North East’s role as an energy hub.”
An international summit on the hydrogen transport supply chain will be hosted by Aberdeen next month. The H2 Transport Summit will bring together government, industry, local businesses and key influencers from 15 to 17 March.
For further information visit www.h2aberdeen.com .