Logan's hydrogen refuelling station to power Belfast buses

Logan Energy, an Edinburgh based specialist in hydrogen energy systems, has been contracted to supply and maintain a hydrogen refuelling station in Belfast that will support three new hydrogen-fuelled double decker buses in the city.

The Northern Ireland Hydrogen Transport project is being led by Irish energy company Energia Group and Translink, Northern Ireland's public transport operator.

The project has received £1.9m in grant funding from the government's Hydrogen for Transport Programme, an initiative launched by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles.

Logan Energy has been commissioned by Energia to design, deliver and maintain the hydrogen refuelling station at Translink's Milewater Service Centre in Belfast.

We are keen to see the development of hydrogen infrastructure in Northern Ireland

 

Peter Baillie, managing director, Energia Renewables

The new fuel cell buses will be powered by renewable hydrogen produced by electrolysis on Energia's Long Mountain Windfarm near Rasharkin in County Antrim.

Logan Energy has a track record in delivering hydrogen refuelling stations and fuel cell technologies, of which it has delivered over 1MWe. These include installations at London's Walkie Talkie building (20 Fenchurch Street) and Transport for London's HQ, the Palestra Building.

It is currently constructing two further hydrogen-refuelling stations for export to Tenerife and Germany.

 Bill Ireland, chief executive of Logan Energy, (pictured left) said: "We are pleased to have been chosen as the hydrogen partner of choice for this significant project in Belfast.

"The refuelling station we intend to supply will be our largest capacity yet and will be the first one intended for the refuelling of double decker buses. Our role in this project will be extremely valuable in building on our already extensive experience of delivering hydrogen refuelling stations across the UK and Europe."

He continued: "With the demand to switch to a low-carbon economy greater than ever before, this pilot project will provide an opportunity to further explore this innovative technology for bus travel as an efficient and economic zero emission solution, with potential for more vehicles to be introduced into the fleet in the future."  

The OLEV-run Hydrogen Transport Programme has awarded £23m of funding to six projects across the UK to expand its refuelling network and increase fuelling station utilisation with new vehicles. 

The primary objectives of the HTP are to increase the number of publicly accessible hydrogen refuelling stations and to grow the number of fuel cell powered electric vehicles on UK roads.

Peter Baillie, managing director of Energia Renewables, said: "Energia is proud to be driving the transition to a lower carbon future with our hydrogen production project. 

"When the wind energy our turbines produce exceeds demand, rather than curtailing the electricity, we will be producing green hydrogen. The pilot project on our wind farm is supported by the international consortium, GenComm, with funding from the EU's Interreg programme.

"Together, we are keen to see the development of hydrogen infrastructure in Northern Ireland."