The partners will build the new station at Shanghai International Automotive City, working together on the design, construction, maintenance and operations.

The station, which will be completed by the end of 2006, is part of the Ministry of Science and Technology’s national programme to develop electric vehicles in China.

In 2006 Shanghai will be operating 10 fuel cell vehicles and this is planned to grow to 1,000 by 2010 including fuel cell buses sponsored by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) 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 funding. The station will feature an information centre on the hydrogen economy.

Wan Gang, President of Tongji University said: “This is an important step towards realising Shanghai’s hydrogen vision. Tongji is very pleased to be working with Shell Hydrogen, which has global experience of developing hydrogen stations.”

Lim Haw Kuang, Executive Chairman of Shell Companies in China, said, “The development of clean fuels such as hydrogen is critical to China’s future continued economic success. The Shanghai government and Tongji University are leading the way in clean fuels for Shanghai and we are proud to be playing a part, not only in hydrogen-powered vehicles but also in other clean fuels.”

Gabriel de Scheemaker, General Manager, Asia-Pacific Shell Hydrogen, said: “We are happy to help build the first hydrogen station in Shanghai. Through this project we can share know-how with our partners to help China advance its capabilities to implement hydrogen as part of its energy system.”

The new station follows the completion of 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 study is in line with Shell’s global strategy to create a number of ‘Lighthouse’ Projects globally. These will be clusters of four or more hydrogen service stations operated semi-commercially with other energy companies, servicing more than 100 fuel cell vehicles from different car companies in a public-private partnership.