The China Ministry of Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai government, and Shell have announced the opening of the first hydrogen refueling station in Shanghai for fuel cell vehicles.
The Anting Hydrogen refueling station, located at the International Automotive City in Anting, Shanghai, will dispense compressed gaseous hydrogen for a fleet of fuel cell cars and buses operating in the Shanghai region.
The Shanghai government has reportedly already helped to deliver dozens of fuel cell vehicles operating in Shanghai, and this is planned to grow exponentially by 2010, including fuel cell buses sponsored by the Global Environmental Facility through the United Nations Development Programme.
Tongji University is responsible for the development and operation of the new hydrogen station, with Shell contributing technical advice and part of the funding. The station also features an information centre on the hydrogen economy. Tail pipe emissions from hydrogen FCV vehicles produce virtually zero carbon emissions, and have the potential to significantly improve local air quality. Completion of the Anting Hydrogen refueling station also follows a pre-feasibility study by Tongji University and Shell that recommended setting up a small network of hydrogen stations in Shanghai to support the introduction of fuel cell cars.
The Anting Hydrogen refueling station has been delivered under the auspices of the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology’s "863 Program". Named after the date in which it was created (March 1986), the program aims to stimulate the development of advanced technologies in a wide range of fields. This includes the demonstration and commercialization of hybrid-electric drive and fuel cell vehicles.
