BOC to provide infrastructure for hydrogen refuelling stations

BOC, the UK’s largest supplier of industrial gases, has signed a deal to provide infrastructure for ITM Power’s new hydrogen refuelling stations for passenger cars.

BOC, a member of The Linde Group, will use its specialist market knowledge to source and install the most appropriate technology including hydrogen compressors and dispensers. These will be installed at ITM Power’s new hydrogen refuelling station locations.

Linde has delivered over 100 hydrogen refuelling stations around the world, including at Honda’s site in Swindon and Aberdeen’s bus refuelling station.

ITM Power has plans and funding in place to deploy eight refuelling stations in and around London, having already opened one station in Rotherham.

Of the eight stations, the first London refuelling station is scheduled to open in next month at the National Physical Laboratory in Teddington, and the second is due to open in July at the Centre for Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence in East London (funded by the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking). A further three refuelling stations are planned to be sited on publically accessible forecourts and to open before the end of 2016.

ITM Power has a hydrogen fuel contract with Toyota, which will see all Toyota Mirai fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) supplied with three years of hydrogen included for the consumer.

Hamish Nichol, innovation manager for hydrogen at BOC, commented: “It is really exciting to be working with ITM Power to help them deliver their ambitious programme of hydrogen stations. The success of BOC’s refuelling station in Aberdeen will ensure that together with ITM Power we are able to make hydrogen a reliable and accessible clean fuel for future mobility.”

Graham Cooley, CEO of ITM Power, said: “We are delighted to be working with BOC who have a significant leading role in the UK delivering onsite solutions for industrial and fuel gases. On-site integrated hydrogen refuelling solutions, utilising the leading-edge technology of ITM Power and BOC, is a world-class offering.”