Hydrogen fuelling company Element 2, has announced the construction of a new, high-volume hydrogen refuelling station at Teesside International Airport, supported by a grant from Innovate UK
This award marks a hat trick of government support for Element 2 this year and a total funding boost of nearly £2.5m.
In a strategic alliance with Teesside International Airport and Innervated Vehicle Engineering (IVe), this £4.1m project is intended to turn Tees Valley into a hub for zero-emission transportation and cutting-edge airside operations by 2024.
The project will see the development of a modern, large-scale hydrogen refuelling station at the airport, supporting a range of long-term trials of commercial vans, led by IVe, as well as additional passenger cars and airside support vehicles, led by Tees Valley Airport.
In partnership with IVe, Element 2 is preparing to transform hydrogen vehicle trials into tangible, commercial applications, generating valuable performance data that will fuel further breakthroughs in hydrogen-powered transportation.
Tim Harper, CEO of Element 2, said: “Following on from our previous refuelling investments in Teesside, we are excited to be developing this hydrogen refuelling station in the region and taking real tangible action in the fight against climate change. The strategic location of Teesside Airport, with its proximity to key transport links and major freight depots, provides the perfect platform for this project.
“As we expand the hydrogen refuelling infrastructure throughout the UK, projects such as this empower fleet operators to gain proficiency in running zero-emission HGVs. We are looking forward to collaborating with an increasing number of fleets across the region.
“Heavy goods vehicles are responsible for almost a third of the UK’s transport emissions, and this allows us to accelerate the shift away from diesel, providing real environmental and health benefits.”
Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen said: “We were one of the first areas to trial hydrogen fuels and this is continuing to pay off as we’ve been successful in securing this permanent refuelling station.
“Our airport and, indeed, our whole region continues to be at the forefront of the UK’s net zero ambitions, and this hydrogen station is another step forward to supporting the cleaner, healthier and safer industries of tomorrow.“
The new funding was announced at Teesside Airport by transport secretary Mark Harper, who also revealed a grant to a project led by Ulemco to develop hydrogen-powered ground-based support vehicles for airports.
