First published in Cleantech magazine Volume 6 Issue 4. Copyright Cleantech Investor Ltd

Dr Graham Cooley of ITM Power made the case for hydrogen energy systems for energy storage and clean fuel production at All-Energy in Aberdeen in May of this year. Cooley, who shared the platform at the event with First Minister Alex Salmond, believes that the fact that electricity cannot be stored easily represents a major barrier to the adoption of renewable power - but points to energy storage as the 'missing link'. ITM Power offers the solution to the challenge of supplying long term energy storage, which is necessary for renewables such as wind to integrate with the grid, so decarbonising the energy sector and providing a clean renewable fuel for transport, heat and chemicals. Scotland is uniquely placed to exploit the benefits of hydrogen, according to Cooley, with its vast renewable energy resource and increasing need for energy storage. Arguing that hydrogen could form the basis of a new fuel industry, he pointed to the Hydrogen Hebrides project, which aims to create an island hydrogen network from Lewis to Barra. Aberdeen's Council is planning Scotland's first fleet of hydrogen-powered buses - and ITM Power is opening an office in the city, with a view to benefiting from the growth in the Scottish hydrogen industry.

ITM's mobile hydrogen refuelling station was on display at the All-Energy event - providing the fuel for the Hyundai ix35 FCEV, which was available for test drives by delegates. The First Minister had the opportunity to test the Hyundai fuel cell vehicle with motoring journalist Quentin Willson.

ITM Power's film crew were at All-Energy 2012 recording First Minister Alex Salmond's commitment to hydrogen for Scotland. The First Minister had a test drive in the Hyundai FCEV (fuel cell electric vehicle) which was fuelled with hydrogen from ITM Power's portable refuelling station.