In September 2011 a significant step in hydrogen refueling infrastructure was completed with the official opening of the UK's first open-access, commercial-scale hydrogen vehicle refueling station at Honda's manufacturing facility in Swindon. This venture is the result of a successful public-private partnership between Forward Swindon (with the former South West Regional Development Agency), industrial gases company BOC and Honda of the UK Manufacturing. 

Under the South West’s ‘Low Carbon Economic Area’ designation, Forward Swindon is driving the development of a low carbon, sustainable solution to the future transport needs of the UK’s population through the 'Hydrogen Highway' initiative. The M4 Hydrogen Highway will be a network of hydrogen refueling stations stretching initially from Swansea to Swindon, then on to London. The Swindon refueling station represents a significant stage in developing and stimulating this initiative.

The new state-of-the-art station at the Honda plant is open to anyone developing or using hydrogen-powered vehicles and can supply hydrogen at both 350 bar and 700 bar, the two standard filling pressures adopted by the world's major vehicle manufacturers. In this respect Swindon is particularly fortunate, as it currently hosts the only vehicle manufacturer in the world, namely Honda, which can offer a 'production-line' hydrogen fuel-cell car in the form of the FCX Clarity. However, whilst all major vehicle manufacturers are developing hydrogen-powered models, there is only a limited number of refueling facilities in the UK available to users.

One of the main aims of the Swindon refueling station is to take a significant step in addressing this deficiency and, through the open-access model, to demonstrate how similar facilities could be replicated across the country to encourage the widespread uptake of more sustainable hydrogen-powered transport.

More information on Swindon's open-access hydrogen vehicle refueling station can be found on this video-link.