Tuesday 20 September 2011

UK’s first hydrogen filling station opens on the M4

The UK's first hydrogen vehicle refuelling station officially opens today at Honda's manufacturing facility in Swindon. Anyone with a hydrogen-powered vehicle can charge at the station, at both standard pressures of 350 bar and 700 bar.

The facility is a joint venture between industrial gases company BOC and economic development company Forward Swindon. The Swindon station could be strategic, half-way down the M4 between London and Swansea so could help drivers make the full journey with a charge.

Mike Huggon, Managing Director of BOC in the UK and Ireland, said: "It demonstrates that we can build the infrastructure needed to establish a hydrogen-powered transport system. But even with private and public support, as we have here in Swindon, we need Government commitment to make this work across the country as a whole. We can provide the tools but the Government has to create the policy framework in which we can build the low carbon infrastructure of tomorrow."

According to BOC the Honda FCX Clarity will take less than five minutes to charge, making the consumer experience similar to that of an ordinary filling station.

Other hydrogen stories:

Wind power could be stored as hydrogen

Huge waste to energy plant could generate hydrogen in future

Hybrid solar lights up the future