A new hydrogen filling station that can be erected and operational in just 10 days is set to be installed in Glasgow.
The mobile hydrogen station has been ordered from French firm HRS by Element 2, the UK’s largest hydrogen refuelling company. The two firms previously worked together on a £4.1m hydrogen station installed at Teesside airport in 2024.
The mobile station is also modular so can be expanded “as demand grows”, allowing “maximum utilisation of assets”. Element 2 has ordered it as part of the firm’s plan to have 50 hydrogen stations for fleet vehicles operational within five years.
Designed for trucks, the mobile station can dispense hydrogen at 350 bar or 700 bar (5,076psi or 10,0152psi) and at a rate of 14kg an hour. HGV hydrogen tanks typically hold 30-50kG, so while refilling these will take longer than a diesel truck would take to refuel, the process is quicker than a typical recharge for an electric HGV’s 500kWh battery.
Element 2 is working with Russell Logistics to make hydrogen power a reality for HGVs, highlighting the transport firm could stop 25,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide being emitted each year. For reference, humans exhale around 250kg of CO2 each year.
Dr. Andrew Hagan, Element 2’s chief development officer, commented: “Through our collaboration with HRS, we have developed an innovative mobile refuelling solution that enables us to trial, test and demonstrate hydrogen vehicles in real-world conditions without compromise. The station can expand capacity as demand grows and be redeployed to new locations, making it a breakthrough in flexible, cost-effective infrastructure.
HRS’ founder, Rachedi Hassen, said: “This new milestone perfectly illustrates our mission: delivering flexible, high-performance and practical solutions to democratise access to hydrogen and reduce the carbon footprint of transport.”
Russel Logistics’ chief executive, Graham Russell, said his firm is “committed to pioneering low-carbon solutions across both road and rail”, and developing Scotland’s first hydrogen refuelling station “is a natural next step”.
