Teesside Airport in northern England is introducing hydrogen-powered ground support vehicles with the help of UK government funding as part of wider initiatives to achieve net zero carbon in the air transport industry. Following earlier trials involving cars, tow tugs, vans, and forklift trucks, £8 million ($10 million) in funding is being provided to install a permanent hydrogen refueling facility at the airport by 2025.
The airport, which has been publicly owned since 2019, will continue to use a temporary refueling station for its ground vehicles until the permanent facility is ready. It is working toward a self-imposed objective of achieving net zero operations by 2030, with other initiatives including increased use of sustainable aviation fuels and solar panels installed on land next to the runway.
As well as providing hydrogen for the airport’s apron vehicles, the new facility will be available to other commercial vehicles and those operated by local authorities. The project has been conducted as part of the Tees Valley Hydrogen Transport Hub trial, which began in 2021.
A UK company called Element 2 is providing the hydrogen refueling infrastructure. The facility is not yet planned for use with future hydrogen-powered aircraft.