A
pioneering £31 million deal could make hydrogen vehicles a “viable and
environmentally friendly choice” for motorists across Europe.
Leading motor manufacturers, hydrogen fuel
suppliers, the Mayor of London’s Office in the UK as well as energy consultancies from around
the world have signed up to the HyFIVE project, the largest of its kind in Europe.
Five different manufacturers
have agreed to deploy a total of 110 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles at several
European locations (Bolzano, Copenhagen, Innsbruck, London, Munich, Stuttgart)
and develop new clusters of hydrogen refuelling stations.
Locations are being sought
for three new hydrogen refuelling stations in London, one in Aarhus and in
Odense (Denmark) and one in Innsbruck (Austria).
They are expected to be
operational by 2015, by which time some of the manufacturers in the partnership
will have put hydrogen fuelled cars on sale in some European markets.
It is claimed that using
hydrogen gas as a source of fuel to generate electric power the new vehicles
produces only water vapour. Also it is claimed vehicles have the potential to
be more than twice as fuel-efficient as conventionally powered vehicles and
operate very quietly.
The Mayor of London’s
Office is coordinating the multi million pound project. Among those who signed
up are: BMW, Daimler, Honda, Hyundai, Toyota as well as hydrogen fuel companies
including Air Products, Copenhagen Hydrogen Network, ITM Power, Linde and OMV.
Other signatories include Element Energy, PE International, the Institute for
Innovative Technology and the European Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking
FCHJU).
Vehicle manufacturers
taking part of the project are working to develop and demonstrate hydrogen-powered
fuel cell cars. The prospect of these becoming more widely available is now
seen as increasingly likely as the currently high cost of the technology falls
and hydrogen powered vehicles become affordable, it is claimed.
Supporters of the new
technology claim “rapid re-fuelling times” for hydrogen cars as well as their “potential
to cover at least 400 miles before being re-fuelled”.
Supporters also believe
fuel cells will have the ability to be scaled up to run larger vehicles such as
buses or trucks.
Hydrogen infrastructures
will be built across several countries as part of this European project. Filling
stations will be built and operated in Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Austria and
Italy, as well as in London.
An advantage claimed by
supporters of the new technology is that these stations will share
internationally-agreed fuel and re-fuelling standards.
All of the partners in the
project see the initial investment to build small clusters of stations as key
to gaining the research knowledge that will demonstrate the viability of
hydrogen fuelled vehicles.
Bert De Colvenaer,
executive director of the FCHJU, said: “With a total of 110 FCEVs and 6 new
refuelling stations, HyFIVE will represent the largest single project of its
kind financed by the FCHJU. The high level of technology readiness of this zero
emission transport technology will be showcased in five European member states,
thus ensuring a broad geographical outreach. In addition, the project will also
contribute to the build-up of the first networks at local levels necessary to
support the market introduction of the vehicles in the coming years. With the
participation of leading automakers and infrastructure providers, HyFIVE
illustrates the commitment from leading industrial players in the EU and the
spirit of cooperation that I am convinced will enable the success of these
technologies.“
Professor Roger Putman CBE,
non-executive chairman of clean hydrogen fuel supplier ITM Power Plc, said
"ITM Power is delighted to be part of this exciting pan-European project,
delivering three new green hydrogen refuelling stations which will be deployed
in London.”
“These three new stations
will form part of three European regions that will deploy six new 700bar
hydrogen refuelling stations. They will also incorporate 12 existing stations
in the project,” he added. “The fuelling station networks will offer hydrogen
as a genuine fuelling choice for end users. Working with other partners in the
project, Air Products, Linde, OMV and the Copenhagen Hydrogen Network, will
stimulate the network density required for full commercial roll-out of hydrogen
refuelling and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs)." ∎
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