The Toyota Mirais are to be leased for three years, with five going to the NHS, three to the Co-wheels car club, one to Scottish Environmental Protection Agency and one to Aberdeen City Council.
Cove-based ACHES (Aberdeen City Hydrogen Energy Storage) has been designed to serve the city’s expanding fleet of vans and cars, and is due to be fully operational by mid-March.
Funded by Aberdeen City Council, ERDF, Transport Scotland and NESTRANS, it was built, and will be maintained and operated, by Hydrogenics.
The Toyota Mirai project was part funded by the UK Government Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) and Transport Scotland.
ACHES has four electric recharging points and the potential to produce 130kg of hydrogen per day. It also facilitates fast refuelling, with hydrogen is dispensed at 350 bar and 700 bar pressure.
“We have a very clear hydrogen strategy for the future and ACHES adds to the expanding hydrogen infrastructure in Aberdeen,” comments councillor Barney Crockett.
“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,” he continues.
“The benefits of this latest project complement what has been achieved already will be felt locally, nationally and internationally,” he adds.
“This latest expansion of hydrogen refuelling capabilities in Aberdeen means that a true hydrogen hub now exists in the North East,” comments transport minister Humza Yousaf.
“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.
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 the opening ceremony.