UK’s first green hydrogen refuelling station opens for business in Swindon30 October 2014

The UK's first commercial-scale 'green' hydrogen refuelling facility was opened today (30 October 2014), in Swindon.

The mayor of Swindon, councillor Teresa Page, joined other dignitaries at the opening ceremony, where they were shown how hydrogen is produced and given a demonstration of vehicle refuelling.

First opened in 2011, the facility has now been developed to deliver 'green' hydrogen, produced by on-site, solar-powered electrolysis.

Located at Honda's car manufacturing plant, the open-access facility has been developed by a consortium that includes the car manufacturer, as well as industrial gases giant BOC, forklift truck supplier Briggs Equipment, Swindon Borough Council, Fuel Cell Systems and engineering company Revolve.

The project was part-funded by Innovate UK (formerly the Technology Strategy Board).

As well as producing green hydrogen, the station will employ BOC's filling technology to serve, among others, the world's first hybrid vans running on sustainable biodiesel and hydrogen, and the UK's first hydrogen-powered forklift trucks.

There will also be a hydrogen-powered education centre on the site.

"This enhancement to our refuelling station clearly positions this facility as the best in class in the UK," says Nick Rolf, BOC's innovation manager for hydrogen systems.

"No other facility in the UK has the capacity to refuel vehicles with 'green' high purity hydrogen on a commercial scale and this now cements Swindon's position as the key location for fuel cell vehicle introduction."

Author
Laura Cork

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