Element 2 has unveiled a new plan to open its first Scottish hydrogen refuelling station through an investment of £2m ($2.77m).
The company are seeking a two-acre site in Bridge of Don in Aberdeen which will support four to six pumps which would be capable of dispensing up to three tonnes of hydrogen fuel per day.
Element 2 has plans to invest £1bn ($1.39bn) over the next 10 years in rolling out a hydrogen refuelling network which will boast 2,000 hydrogen pumps across the UK, including more than 250 pumps in Scotland over the next six years.
This will increase to 300 by 2030.
Specialist commercial property company, Future NRG, has been commissioned by Element 2 to identify potential refuelling station sites and to progress lease agreements and relevant planning approvals.
Led by serial entrepreneur 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 an ideal renewable energy source for vehicles about 3.5 tonnes, such as heavy goods and municipal transport fleets.
The company is also engaged in talks with several local authorities, transport operators and fleet owners to formalise sustainable and cost-effective partnerships.
Market entry in Scotland will see the company’s first hydrogen refuelling station established in Bridge of Don to the north of the Granite City, and strategically located near potential customers based around Aberdeen Airport and commercial transport companies.
These primarily will have access to the AWPR bypass and major A90 road networks.
Subject to planning consent, the Bridge of Don hydrogen site could be operational in the first quarter of 2022.
Tim Harper, CEO of Element 2, 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.”
