With the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, BC, Canada just underway, and hydrogen fuel cell buses delivering passengers between cities, there is already similar planning underway for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
On this past Friday I had talked about the UK Hydrogen Highway system developing in both South Wales and north in Scotland. Now, ITM Power and Revolve Technologies have received a grant to put up hydrogen fueling stations in the London area in time for the 2012 Olympics.
Unlike the Vancouver Olympics, however, the London Olympics will not be feature hydrogen fuel cell transit buses. Instead, in London a fleet of Ford HICE transit vans will haul passengers to and fro.
The hydrogen refueling stations that ITM Power and Revolve will be building will be capable of generating 15kg of hydrogen per day at 5,000 psi. As in the Wales M4 project (of which this may be a part, but this hasn’t been confirmed yet), the hydrogen will be produced using renewable energy.
The 2006 Olympics in Athens, Greece, the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China, the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, Canada and the 2012 Olympics in London, UK all have featured or will feature hydrogen vehicles. The pairing of the world’s top athletes and the leading edge of the hydrogen economy is way to showcase both in a platform millions will be watching.