Hydrogen Powered Bus Revealed
October 11, 2007
A prototype mini bus fuelled by hydrogen and created in Wales will be showcased for the first time in London from today until Thursday. The brain child of experts at the University of Glamorgan, funded by the Energy Saving Trust and supported by the Welsh Assembly Government, the mini bus will be the only passenger vehicle, larger than a car, to be exhibited at the Tenth Grove Fuel Cell Symposium.
The event is a platform for the progress being made in the fuel cell industry in the UK and the many applications for the technology. The bus which is powered by a fuel cell uses hydrogen as its fuel, eliminating the need for non-environmentally friendly fuel sources. The technology means that in the future vehicles could be refuelled at hydrogen ‘filling stations’ rather than at the conventional pump.
The only one of its kind in UK, the mini bus will be viewed by over 5000 visitors from across the globe at this event at the Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre, Westminster.
Ieuan Wyn Jones, Minister for the Economy and Transport, described it as an excellent opportunity to illustrate the innovative work being undertaken in Wales and the drive by the Assembly Government to encourage and support the development of alternative fuels and green technology.
“The Assembly Government has supported and sponsored the development of this technology through the automotive Accelerate Clusters network. This has enabled industry partners throughout Wales to collaborate and link into the academic expertise at the University which has proved to be a winning combination.”
Jonathan Williams who researches the project at Glamorgan commented, “This exhibition will really put Wales on the map as a leader in the field of development of non CO2 technologies. The work we are undertaking at Glamorgan is state of the art and we are looking forward to showcasing the minibus in an international arena. We have ambitious plans for this technology and hope that the work done at Glamorgan will pave the way for further work in the development of hydrogen powered fuel cell technology.”
The hydrogen fuelled mini-bus will be exhibited on the Wales stand which is organised and sponsored by International Business Wales (IBW), the overseas trade arm of the Welsh Assembly Government.
The technology undertaken by the University of Glamorgan plays a key role in the automotive sector proposition for Wales and IBW will use the occasion to promote the automotive sector in Wales, the work undertaken by the Accelerate Clusters and the ground breaking technology being developed in Wales.
After the event in London, the mini bus will come back to Glamorgan where it will undergo a trial period taking students between the University’s campuses.
Brecon Coachworks is the company responsible for converting the shell of the vehicle into a comfortable mini bus able to carry up to 16 people including disabled passengers.
For further information, contact Jonathan Williams on 2817 or e-mail jgwillia@glam.ac.uk
