A VAN that can use both hydrogen and diesel is being put into use in partnership with Aberdeen City Council.
The dual-fuel van has been developed by Siemens Mobility. The company says it wants to expand the use of hydrogen in transport technology and plans to launch a hydrogen train in Scotland and the UK. A similar trial is being undertaken in Germany.
The hydrogen van has been fitted with a green hydrogen fuel tank in addition to its diesel tank. This allows the van to travel some 160-180 miles in zero emission mode, with diesel-only operation available as a back-up. It takes less than 10 minutes to refuel with hydrogen.
The van will be using green hydrogen, which is produced from renewable energy sources and will positively contributes to Aberdeen’s commitment to tackle air pollution and achieve net-zero emissions says the company.
Wilke Reints, Managing Director Intelligent Traffic Systems for Siemens Mobility, said:
“We are delighted to be partnering with Aberdeen City Council – in a city where the energy industry is of paramount importance – to explore an innovative, affordable and environmentally-friendly solution to powering our important field services fleet.
“We know that reducing emissions from road travel remains a significant challenge. In countries like the UK the transport sector is now responsible for emitting more greenhouse gases than any other so the way we travel around – and what we travel in – can make a big difference to our own carbon footprint. Using hydrogen as a fuel source creates real potential to reduce the impact of travelling by road on the environment.”
The van will be used by Siemens Mobility’s traffic signal maintenance teams to carry out routine installation and service works. The van is expected to travel 1000 miles a month.
If the trial proves successful, Siemens Mobility says it will add further such hydrogen vans to its fleet.
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