Published on August 25th, 2009 | by Andrew Williams

London to Launch UK’s First ‘Hydrogen Highway’

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London Mayor Boris Johnson has announced plans to create Britain’s first “hydrogen highway” by building a network of hydrogen filling stations throughout the capital.

As part of the scheme, a pilot fleet of around 150 hydrogen cars, five buses and 20 black taxis will be assembled in the run-up to the 2012 London Olympics.

The flamboyant mayor has gone on record as saying that he wants Britain to become a world leader in fuel cell technology and his team have made the ambitious claim that, within twenty years, up to one in three of the 31m cars in Britain could be fuelled by hydrogen.

The plan draws inspiration from a similar scheme introduced in California by Arnold Schwarzenegger, the state’s governor, and will be rolled out in tandem with a scheme to introduce 25,000 electric car ‘charge points’ throughout the capital.

Speaking about the scheme, Johnson told reporters, “Harnessing low-carbon technology is key to solving the pressing issues of energy security, cutting climate change emissions and improving air quality. With electric vehicles gearing up to become a mainstream choice in a few years’ time, we are creating the right conditions for them to flourish.”

Deputy London mayor and chairman of the London Hydrogen Board Kit Malthouse said, “We think it’s going to be pretty big. We plan an initial network of six or so hydrogen fuelling stations around the capital. We would then be able to fuel the next generation of vehicles.”

Given the ambitious claims for the large-scale adoption of hydrogen transport by 2029, it will be interesting to observe whether this momentum towards sustainable transport will be sustained once the mass publicity surrounding the 2012 olympics has subsided.

Image Credit – doug88888 via flickr

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Tags: Boris Johnson, bus, buses, car, Conventional Cars, filling, fleet, fueling, hydrogen, hydrogen highway, Infrastructure, London, olympics, stations, taxi, taxis

About the Author

Andrew Williams is a writer and freelance journalist specialising in sustainability and green issues. He lives in Cardiff, Wales.

russ

Six hydrogen fueling stations in all of London? That certainly should be convenient!

Not to mention that we still have to come up with a method to produce hydrogen that is at least a little bit eco friendly. Today and on the horizon there is no way – it will come but it is not here yet.

Better than red Ken but seems to be a few cards short of a full deck.
russ

Six hydrogen fueling stations in all of London? That certainly should be convenient!

Not to mention that we still have to come up with a method to produce hydrogen that is at least a little bit eco friendly. Today and on the horizon there is no way – it will come but it is not here yet.

Better than red Ken but seems to be a few cards short of a full deck.
russ

Six hydrogen fueling stations in all of London? That certainly should be convenient!

Not to mention that we still have to come up with a method to produce hydrogen that is at least a little bit eco friendly. Today and on the horizon there is no way – it will come but it is not here yet.

Better than red Ken but seems to be a few cards short of a full deck.
Carlos

Well, it’s useful to invest in more than one technology, but I think in this case, the reason for Hidrogen is purely “face”, just because there is no guarantee that any model of hidrogen car will be serial produced in 2012. Better bet 100% for electric points to encourage people to buy an electric car. if not, we can risk to people continue buying gasoline cars.

It’s my opinion.
Carlos

Well, it’s useful to invest in more than one technology, but I think in this case, the reason for Hidrogen is purely “face”, just because there is no guarantee that any model of hidrogen car will be serial produced in 2012. Better bet 100% for electric points to encourage people to buy an electric car. if not, we can risk to people continue buying gasoline cars.

It’s my opinion.
http://www.technologyslice.com.au Technology Slice

I think it’s better to invest in one definitive technology. What’s to say hydrogen power will not be abandoned for electric power? Then what will come of these hydrogen stations?
http://www.technologyslice.com.au Technology Slice

I think it’s better to invest in one definitive technology. What’s to say hydrogen power will not be abandoned for electric power? Then what will come of these hydrogen stations?
http://www.technologyslice.com.au Technology Slice

I think it’s better to invest in one definitive technology. What’s to say hydrogen power will not be abandoned for electric power? Then what will come of these hydrogen stations?
http://yahoo Ronnie

Let’s hear it for the British! It’s a step in the right direction!

As usual we (Americans) will be the last to get off our butts and join the rest of the world. Too many here want to stay in the dark ages.
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