Supplied by ITM Power, this opening follows the launch of the first public hydrogen refuelling site in the UK at Shell Cobham in February 2017.
At Shell Beaconsfield, the hydrogen is generated on site using an electrolyser that requires only water and electricity to generate the hydrogen gas.
Hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles convert hydrogen into electricity to power the engine, and produce only heat and water when driven. They can travel up to 700km on a single tank and can be refuelled in a few minutes.
Mike Copson, Shell’s hydrogen business development manager, said: “Bringing hydrogen under the canopy for the first time is a fantastic step towards making it a convenient and viable fuel choice for UK drivers."
The hydrogen station at Beaconsfield is the fifth hydrogen refuelling site in the UK to be supplied by ITM Power and will be the first to be opened as part of the H2ME project, partly funded by the European Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) and the UK’s Office of Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV).
Roads minister Jesse Norman said: “Hydrogen has the potential to play a vital role in decarbonising transport, so the unveiling of the UK’s first integrated hydrogen refuelling station is an important step forward.”