London and south-east to get integrated hydrogen transport system

Date: 1/2/2013

The first integrated hydrogen transport system in the UK is to be rolled out across London and the south-east, it has been confirmed.

With a consortium of companies working together to realise this goal, the (LHNE) London Hydrogen Network Expansion project will take three years to complete.

The public will be able to access a network of state-of-the-art fast-fill 700 bar hydrogen filling stations, providing a more convenient way to refuel hydrogen vehicles.

A number of new examples of such vehicles will also be deployed, including Hyundai hydrogen fuel cell electric cars and hydrogen internal combustion vans from Revolve Technologies.

Led by Air Products, LHNE is to receive a significant amount of its funding from the government's Technology Strategy Board.

Car makers have confirmed that the hydrogen vehicles which will be on the market from 2014/2015 and will function using 700 bar refuelling systems.

Diana Raine, European Business Manager for Hydrogen Energy at Air Products, said: "The LHNE project will bring together all the components necessary to make hydrogen transport possible across London and the south-east, as we prepare for the arrival in the UK of commercially available hydrogen vehicles."

An existing hydrogen fuelling station at Heathrow Airport will be converted to 700 bar under the scheme, which will also see another such refuelling point set up in London.

Two other fuelling stations, one in Bedfordshire and one in Stratford in east London, will also be opened up to allow for greater access from the general public.

Demand for hydrogen as a fuel is increasing and LHNE will create the first network of refuelling stations in the country to meet that demand.

A fleet of hydrogen vans will then be put into service by Commercial Group to service its delivery network, utilising the new fuelling stations.

Ms Raine summarised: "We hope that this project will act as an exciting demonstration model to be replicated across the UK and Europe in years to come."

Posted by Nick Anderson

International Transport News and Sustainable Transport News