Energy storage company ITM Power is to unveil a series of designs for ‘large scale’ hydrogen refuelling stations, capable of producing up to 20 tonnes of hydrogen per day.

The new refuelling station designs, which will be launched at the Hydrogen + Fuel Cells North America exhibition in Las Vegas next month, are based around electrolyser configurations of up to 50MW in size.

According to ITM, industry demand for larger scale industrial installations for refuelling heavy logistics vehicles, such as road haulage vehicles, ships and trains, is driving growth in the hydrogen sector.

ITM Power chief executive, Dr Graham Cooley, said: “These new refuelling station designs are being launched in response to a dramatic increase in the number of enquiries for refuelling heavy logistics vehicles at large scale as the viability of hydrogen power continues to gather scale and momentum across a growing number of industrial applications.

“ITM Power is delighted to be in a prime position to support these important transportation sectors as they plan their transition to a greener vehicle fleet to reduce emissions. Air quality and fossil fuel emissions is now a high priority for governments worldwide.”

The company has also announced an increase in its order pipeline of £4.87m, which has been added over the last two weeks. ITM currently has £23.54m of projects under contract and £16.67m of contracts in the final stages of negotiation, totalling £40.21m.

Honda

Last month ITM signed a fuel contract with Honda UK for the purchase of hydrogen at £10/kg across the company’s hydrogen refuelling network.

ITM Power is currently rolling out a network of 10 hydrogen refuelling stations in the UK of which four are now open for public access – at Rotherham, Rainham, Teddington and Cobham. Each station produces hydrogen on site via ITM Power’s rapid response electrolyser system, and can refuel a fuel cell electric car in three minutes, providing 300 to 420 miles of clean emission driving.

The refuelling network has been financially supported by Innovate UK, Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) and the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU).

According to ITM, the Honda contract is its 17th fuel supply arrangement for refuelling fuel cell electric vehicles.

Honda joined Toyota GB PLC, Hyundai Motor UK Ltd, Commercial Group, Skanska, UlemCo Ltd, Arval UK Ltd, UK Government Car Service, Arcola Energy, Johnson Matthey, Europcar, The Science Museum, JCB, Anglo American, Green Tomato Cars, Yorkshire Ambulance Service and Northern Gas Networks as a fuel customer.