London Hydrogen Bus Trial Receives One Year Extension

02 March 2006, BP has successfully received a one-year extension to the hydrogen demonstration project they have undertaken in association with Transport for London.

Under the nine-city CUTE programme, BP provides hydrogen for three London buses at its retail site in Hornchurch. The programme – currently the largest hydrogen bus trial in the world – was due to end in January 2006. However, following the success of the trial in London and other cities, the European Union has agreed to part-fund the programme for another 12 months. Seven cities will take part in the extension.

London will be one of those seven locations and following local consultation and a successful planning application process Hornchurch will continue to provide service as a refuelling station.

The station has been developed in partnership with First Group, DaimlerChrysler, London Buses and the Energy Saving Trust. The technology used at the site is supplied by BOC.

The Hornchurch station is the first in the UK and Europe to use underground storage of liquid hydrogen for transportation purposes – a method that has been successfully used for industrial purposes for many years.

Part funded by the European Commission, the site is BP’s third to be located at a public service station, after Singapore and Berlin. Vasso Tsatsami, BP’s Hydrogen Business Development Manager said: “Hornchurch continues to be an important project for BP, hydrogen and the UK. We are delighted to be providing hydrogen for another year as we continue to learn valuable, practical lessons about how we can make hydrogen available at an easily accessible location. It is part of BP’s commitment to provide a portfolio of clean, sustainable energy solutions.”

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Sheila Williams

Press Officer BP Retail

BP Oil UK

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