Loughborough, 25 September 2008
Among the partners that worked to bring about the installation were hydrogen fuel cell developer Intelligent Energy, originally a spin-out from the University, as well as Cenex, Bryte Energy, Air Products and the East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA).

The facility is one of only two currently operational in the UK, and will enable Loughborough University to add impetus to its research on hydrogen and fuel cells. Intelligent Energy will use it as a refuelling point for its development programmes, as it looks to build and test fleets of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Loughborough University’s ultimate goal is to transfer its own fleet of service vehicles over to hydrogen, and the presence of a cluster of expertise including Intelligent Energy and Cenex in the vicinity makes this a realistic ambition.

Based at Holywell Park, the facility is one of a number of hydrogen refuelling stations being set up across the region by the British Midlands Hydrogen Forum. Known as the Midlands Hydrogen Ring, the stations will be at the heart of the hydrogen fuelling infrastructure planned for the UK.

Loughborough University’s chief operating officer, Will Spinks, declared Loughborough’s refueller officially open. Intelligent Energy’s ENV, the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell motorcycle, was the first vehicle to be refuelled at the station.

Intelligent Energy's director of communications, Dr Jon Moore, said,  “Loughborough University has once again demonstrated that its green credentials are second to none. The University and the consortium that made this refueller a reality have shown the sort of leadership that will make a real difference to the future of clean technology in the UK. We’re very proud to be part of this project.”

Funding for the refueller came from Loughborough University in partnership with the EMDA, and it was built by Air Products. Initially an external supplier will provide hydrogen gas for the facility, but the University is investigating ways of creating its own renewable hydrogen through the use of green technologies on campus.