First international summit on hydrogen transport supply chain to be held in Aberdeen
05 February 2017
An international summit on the hydrogen transport supply chain is to be held in Aberdeen next month bringing together government, industry, local businesses and key influences for the first time, Aberdeen City Council announced today (5 February 2017).
The H2 Transport Summit, which is being hosted by Aberdeen City Council, is being held from 15 to 17 March, and includes speakers such as Denis Thomas, Hydrogenics EU Regulatory Affairs & Business Development Manager Renewable Hydrogen and Helmut Morsi, Principal Advisor to DG Move, European Commission.
Aberdeen is ideally placed for the event as it is already a leader in hydrogen technologies, with the City Council a leading partner in the city having the largest fleet of fuel cell electric buses in Europe, two dedicated hydrogen refuelling stations, and hydrogen-fuelled vehicles as part of a car club scheme. Aberdeen is also looking wider than transport, with plans for hydrogen training, business diversification, and trials of H2 vehicles for the private sector.
The summit, which is taking place during UK Hydrogen Week, will in particular focus on the deployment of hydrogen buses. It will also bring together bus operators and re-fuelling companies to present study findings of large scale hydrogen bus re-fuelling, challenges that remain for hydrogen transport technologies and skills development.
The event will further show the economic benefits of hydrogen to the area, and local businesses are invited to attend to further understand the potential for supply chain opportunities that are emerging from this sector.
Aberdeen City Council Leader Councillor Jenny Laing, who is giving the opening speech at one of the sessions, said: “The H2 Transport Summit will be bringing together many high-level industry, government and other key influencers for the first time to consider routes to market/supply chain opportunities within the hydrogen transport sector.
“We welcome international speakers and delegates to Aberdeen as the city is going through one of its biggest changes in its history with the City Council spearheading a £1billion transformational capital and infrastructure programme.
“We have an enviable record in Aberdeen at being at the forefront of this exciting technology, and can build on this with the skills and expertise already in the city as the Energy Capital of Europe.”
This event will showcase several of the leading hydrogen and fuel cell projects currently active in Scotland and in the rest of the EU, making the link between renewable energy and transport with use of hydrogen as a clean fuel with zero emissions at the ‘tailpipe’.
It will be of particular interest to companies and organisations with interest in deployment of low carbon vehicles, with examples of different types of hydrogen vehicles on display and information on trials and leasing options, as well as opportunities to visit Aberdeen’s hydrogen refuelling facilities.
As part of H2 Transport Summit, delegates will be offered tours of re-fuelling infrastructure, a VIP dinner, supply chain panel discussion and the opportunity to explore hydrogen vehicle leasing options locally.
The H2 Transport Summit is organised in collaboration with three projects funded by the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH-JU): NewBusFuel, HyTransit and High V.LO-City. The three projects are undertaking public events and private meetings as Aberdeen is already a hydrogen energy hub where developing the sector can be embedded from.
More information including booking places is available from http://www.h2aberdeen.com/