Europe’s oil capital has opened its second multimillion-pound hydrogen filling station along with the launch of a fleet of 10 green cars.
Council chiefs have been looking to move away from fossil fuels, despite historic links to the oil and gas industry.
And yesterday, Aberdeen City Council hydrogen leader, Barney Crockett, was joined by Toyota Great Britain president and managing director, Paul Van Der Burgh, and Hydrogenics chief executive, Filip Smeets, to open the Aberdeen City Hydrogen Energy Storage (ACHES) facility in Cove.
The £2.6million station will serve the city’s expanding fleet of cars and vans and will be fully operational next month.
Funded by Aberdeen City Council, ERDF, Transport Scotland and NESTRANS, it was built and will be maintained and operated by Hydrogenics.
The centre has four electric recharging points and has the potential to produce 130kg of hydrogen every day.
The 10 Toyota Mirai cars will be leased for three years with five going to the National Health Service, three to the Co-wheels car club, one to Scottish Environmental Protection Agency and one to Aberdeen City Council.
Mr Crockett insisted work to create closer ties between the Granite City and Japan had paid dividends.
He said: “We will have a full capacity for any hydrogen vehicle which can now be refuelled in Aberdeen, which is one of the very few places in the world that you can say that about.
“Japanese companies see Aberdeen as a great place to be based and that’s a really big benefit for the city.”
Transport minister, Humza Yousaf, added: “This latest expansion of hydrogen refuelling capabilities in Aberdeen means that a true hydrogen hub now exists in the north-east.
“This has been possible through a funding partnership between Scottish ministers, the EU, and the city council.”
Mr Van der Burgh said: “We are delighted to welcome the opening of the hydrogen station and are very pleased our Mirai hydrogen cars will be playing an important role in the Aberdeen City hydrogen strategy, expanding the council’s hydrogen fleet and helping to make zero emission transport a reality.”
NESTRANS director, Derick Murray, added: “Aberdeen is already home to Europe’s largest hydrogen fuel bus fleet and this is the city’s second hydrogen refuelling station which really builds on the north east’s role as an energy hub.”
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