A government announcement of up to £11 million of funding to prepare the UK for the roll-out of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles has been welcomed by Air Products.

The investment will help establish an initial network of up to 15 hydrogen refuelling stations by the end of 2015, and include £2 million of funding for public sector hydrogen vehicles.

Diana Raine, European business manager for Hydrogen Energy Systems at Air Products, said: “We are delighted to see the Government commit to supporting the rollout of hydrogen transport in this way.

“Hydrogen-powered vehicle technology is proven and ready to be used now. It is not a fuel of the future, it is a fuel for today, and with no emissions at the point of use, it has the potential to de-carbonise the transport sector with little sacrifice to transport performance.”

Raine told Fleet News that the announcement was a hugely positive development for the hydrogen industry in the UK.

“There are already several Air Products SmartFuel hydrogen fuelling stations in the UK with plans for more, and we look forward to seeing this network expand as we work with the Government to make hydrogen transport a reality,” she continued.

News of the UK funding comes after Air Products signed a deal to be the hydrogen fuelling station and technology supplier for FirstElement Fuel’s initial network of 19 hydrogen fuelling stations to be built throughout California in 2015.  

Beyond the coming network of 19 FirstElement Fuel stations, Air Products has nine existing SmartFuel stations in the state already fuelling cars in public and private use.