Hydrogen fuel specialist pumps £2 million into first refuelling station in Scotland

A hydrogen fuel specialist is to invest up to £2 million rolling out its first refuelling station in Scotland as part of wider expansion plans.

Element 2 is eyeing a two-acre site in Bridge of Don in Aberdeen which would support up to six pumps capable of dispensing up to three tonnes of hydrogen fuel per day.

The firm has plans to invest £1 billion over the next ten years in rolling out a hydrogen refuelling network which will boast 2,000 pumps across the UK, including more than 250 in Scotland over the next six years, increasing to 300 by 2030.

Led by serial entrepreneur and former European Space Agency engineer Tim Harper, and fuel cells and hydrogen technology expert Brendan Bilton, Element 2 has identified Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow as focal points for establishing its Scottish refuelling network.

Hydrogen fuel is seen as an ideal renewable energy source for vehicles above 3.5 tons, including heavy goods and municipal transport fleets.

Hydrogen fuel is seen as an ideal renewable energy source for vehicles above 3.5 tons, including heavy goods and municipal transport fleets, and the firm is engaged in talks with several local authorities, transport operators and fleet owners to establish partnerships.

Commercial property firm Future NRG has been commissioned by Element 2 to identify potential refuelling station sites and to progress lease agreements and relevant planning approvals.

The hydrogen specialist is also in the process of securing office premises in Aberdeen and will recruit and train operators and maintenance engineers to service the refuelling systems.

Depending on planning consent, the Bridge of Don site could be operational in the first quarter of next year.

Harper, chief executive, said: “This is a major investment and an important first step in establishing Element 2’s credentials in Scotland as a leading hydrogen retailer.

“Aberdeen has long been established as Europe’s oil capital but the city is now picking up the baton to be a leading energy capital and to be at the forefront of energy transition as businesses gradually move towards a zero carbon future.

“We have been impressed by the forward thinking shown by local government leaders and business leaders in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire as the city and region makes a monumental shift in how it consumes energy, and so choosing Bridge of Don as the location for our first hydrogen refuelling station was always high on our agenda.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We’re more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers. If you haven’t already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription: www.scotsman.com/subscriptions