Work has started on creating a pioneering H₂ refueling station at Teesside International Airport.

The new Element 2 H₂ refueling station, near the former St George Hotel, will refuel all H₂ road vehicles (trucks, vans, cars) plus airport vehicles, with both 700 bar and 350 bar refueling.

Now planning permission has been granted, construction work on the project will be complete this Spring before a period of installation and commissioning ahead of operations beginning.

The site is part of the Tees Valley H₂ Transport hub, funded by the UK Government, which will create public H₂ refueling stations across the region.

Element 2, the UK’s leading H₂ refueling business, is managing the project, with funding from the UK Government, and helping to provide the infrastructure needed for the widespread use of H₂ as a transport fuel.

Element 2 is addressing the strong and fast-growing demand for H₂ from heavy goods vehicles and commercial distribution fleets. Since Element 2’s creation in 2020, it has successfully and safely completed more than 1,500 refueling events from its refueling sites for a range of blue-chip customers and vehicle types.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said, “We were first out of the blocks when it came to backing H₂ – and it’s great to see the groundwork is now paying off with action and results.

“We want to continue to stretch our lead at the forefront of the cleaner, healthier and safer industries of tomorrow and having this station at our airport is a huge marker laid down to the rest of the country.

“The upshot of investing and working on these pioneering industries is we’re at the front of the queue in bringing hundreds of good, well-paid jobs to our people and our airport in the years to come.”

Teesside Airport hosted a temporary Element 2 H₂ refueling station and secured low-emission H₂ fueled vehicles in 2021 – including cars, truck, forklift, vans and tugs.

The region is also becoming a hotbed for the burgeoning sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry – with the airport also recently securing a 100% renewable energy agreement with broker 121 Business Links.

Airport Managing Director Phil Forster added, “We’re flying more people to more destinations, but we’re also adding more strings to our bow at Teesside Airport, with our cargo facility, the business park, new hangars and our green energy ambitions.

“Securing planning permission for this new Element 2 H₂ refueling station is another key milestone. We’re pioneering new technology at the airport and now we’re pioneering clean energy fuels which will all help to boost our airport.”

James Harris, Element 2 CEO, said, “Element 2 is providing the UK backbone for H₂ supply and retail infrastructure for industrials, Power to Liquid, off-grid and transport demand, and this pioneering site at Teesside helps to drive and further strengthen the UK-wide infrastructure that is much needed for commercial access to H₂.

We are excited to work with Teesside International Airport, Innovate UK and local commercial fleets to achieve this and help reduce transport emissions in the Tees Valley.”