East Lothian energy tech firm Logan Energy is to deliver a £1 miilion green hydrogen refuelling station for bin lorries.
The facility being built for Cheshire East Council will turn water into fuel for the local authority's waste disposal trucks which require frequent refuelling due to constant stopping and starting on collection routes.
Electricity produced from solar PV panels will power an electrolyser, supplied by ErreDue UK, which will extract hydrogen from water.
Two dual-fuel waste-disposal trucks have been converted to run on hydrogen for Project Vanguard, which also involves green energy firm Storengy UK.
Hydrogen-fuelled vehicles' only emissions are water and air.
Wallyford-based Logan Energy is already supplying its technology to refuel hydrogen buses in Northern Ireland, and in Tenerife it is producing hydrogen from seawater to power public transport.
CEO Bill Ireland said: “The demand to switch to a low-carbon economy is greater than ever before. The Middlewich environmental hub will provide an opportunity to explore how innovative hydrogen technology can be used as an efficient and economic ultra-low emission solution for local authority vehicles. Its success could lead to a variety of vehicles being introduced into the fleet in the future.”
The project is being part funded through a £345,000 grant from the Warrington and Cheshire Local Enterprise Partnership.
Jonathan Cox, ErreDue UK’s director and representative for Erredue SpA said: “Working with Logan Energy to support green hydrogen projects is a vital step in meeting net zero targets.
"Their expertise provides a great opportunity for ErreDue UK to integrate its own innovative technology and together, we’re helping to produce a safe, clean alternative fuel.”
Michael Gibson, managing director of Storengy UK, said: “We are proud to be delivering this innovative project for Cheshire East Council. We are one step further in demonstrating that hydrogen is a viable green fuel for transport and working with Logan Energy we are keen to support Cheshire East Council meet its ambitious carbon footprint and air quality objectives.”
