Despite the liquidation of the Eco Island Community Interest Company (CIC), ITM Power, the energy storage and clean fuel company, have reassured readers that it is continuing to lead the EcoIsland Hydrogen Vehicle Refueller.
The £4.45m project will build and integrate into the power system, a hydrogen energy storage and vehicle refuelling system here on the Isle of Wight.
In a statement released yesterday, ITM Power revealed that they are working alongside Ventnor-based Cheetah Marine and have applied for planning permission for the marine refuelling system at Cheetah Marine’s site on the Esplanade. In addition, ITM Power has successfully converted a Honda 135 Outboard motor to dual fuel hydrogen/petrol operation for use on a catamaran designed and built by Cheetah Marine, with the Cheetah Marine boat build underway.
The three year project is now coming to the end of its first year. The project is on time and on budget with the following achievements in year 1:
– ITM Power have concluded the design of a modular 80kg/day hydrogen generation unit, the first deployment of a station this size which the Company intends to use for the roll-out of hydrogen refuelling stations in the UK in the H2Mobility project. This modular design allows generation capacity to be increased at refuelling stations as demand increases. Key components are ordered and build is underway and on track.
– ITM Power and SSE have surveyed a number of sites on the Isle of Wight, identifying four potential locations owned by SGN, SSE, Vestas and MJH Developments for the 80kg/day refuelling station. Planning applications have been submitted for all four sites, and approval has been received for one of these sites. ITM Power are seeking approval from all four sites.
– IBM has developed a user interface for the refuelling system.
The project is proceeding well with delivery of the refuelling units anticipated in spring 2014 for the 12 month trial to start in autumn 2014.
Talking about Eco Island’s involvement with the project, a spokesperson for ITM Power told Island Echo:
“It has recently been announced that EcoIsland CIC has entered liquidation. EcoIsland CIC’s role in the project was to organise and run a fuel cell electric vehicle (“FCEV”) road show for which they were allocated £49,475 of project costs, £23,500 in grant, of which £5,800 has been claimed to date.
“ITM Power and the consortium will now reallocate the remaining grant and activities within the
existing consortium”
