Hydrogen fuel - on its way to Auckland
The New Zealand-based port operator, Ports of Auckland, is to receive some financial support for purchasing hydrogen fuel cell vehicles from the government’s low emission vehicles contestable fund.
Ports of Auckland, along with its project partners Auckland Transport, Auckland Council and Kiwi Rail, will procure a hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) bus and three HFC cars as part of its wider project to build a hydrogen fuel production plant. The government fund will provide 14% of the estimated cost of these vehicles.
As announced last year, Ports of Auckland has committed to build a hydrogen production and refuelling facility at its Waitematā port, a first for Auckland. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are a type of electric vehicle (EV) but are powered by hydrogen fuel cells rather than batteries. In the fuel cell hydrogen is combined with oxygen to produce electricity. Fuel cell vehicles are zero emission units. (kd)