ITM Power looks to grow with Forestry Commission

ENERGY storage and clean fuel company ITM Power today said it had signed an agreement with the Forestry Commission which will see supply two hydrogen fule vehicles to the organisation.

The Forestry Commission has agreed to take part in the Yorkshire-based company’s Hydrogen On Site Trials (HOST) of its transportable high pressure refueling unit (HFuel).

HFuel is presently being built with support from the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) and partners Gateway to London and Revolve Technologies.

The Forestry Commission joins DHL Supply Chain and London Stansted Airport who have both signed agreements to join HOST.
 
HOST will commence in 2011 and will see the operation and refueling of two HICE (Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine) Revolve Technologies Ford Transit vehicles with hydrogen produced on site come into operation at sites operated by participating companies. 
 
Membership of HOST provides each partner with a one week free trial of HFuel and the two Revolve HICE transit vehicles, and an option to lease both HFuel and vehicles.
 
Graham Cooley, chief executive of ITM Power, said: “We are delighted that the Forestry Commission, the largest land manager in Britain and the biggest provider of outdoor recreation, has agreed to join ITM’s HOST programme in order appraise the potential of ITM’s technology to decarbonise forestry vehicles. 

“The Forestry Commission has an important role as a member of the government’s Renewable Energy Deployment and Environmental Issues Project Board.
 
“It’s all about producing a clean fuel at the point of use, addressing the important sustainability issue of eliminating the carbon footprint of the fuel supply chain. The HOST trials will play an important role in demonstrating the potential of ITM’s HFuel technology to the land management sector particularly where the supply of fuel is an issue in remote areas. We expect companies from other sectors to be joining the HOST scheme in the near future.”