Europe's largest fleet of hydrogen buses will be revealed to the public for the first time during the UK's biggest renewable energy event, which is underway in Aberdeen.

The £20m Aberdeen Hydrogen Bus Project will be in the spotlight during All-Energy, when part of the new fleet will be on display at the entrance to the conference.

Aberdeen City Council's Convener of Enterprise, Strategic Planning and Infrastructure, Councillor Barney Crockett, will officially launch the demonstration project.

The city council is taking delivery of 10 hydrogen vehicles from Belgian firm Van Hool, as part of the Aberdeen Hydrogen Bus Project. Delegates attending the All-Energy conference will be able to board a vehicle and meet with project partners and suppliers.

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The Aberdeen City Council-led project, which has backing from Europe, the UK Government and the Scottish Government, as well as a broad range of private sector partners, is the most high-profile of a range of projects designed to create a hydrogen economy in the city.

It will deliver a hydrogen infrastructure in Aberdeen in 2014. This will include the production of hydrogen from a 1MW electrolyser and establishing Scotland's first commercial scale hydrogen refuelling system, which will include hydrogen production through electrolysis, in partnership with BOC.

Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said: "The Scottish Government is pleased to be a partner in this project, which aligns with our vision for both decarbonising the road transport sector, and finding innovative ways to make the most of Scotland's vast energy wealth.

"We recognise that hydrogen could be an important 'bridge' between Scotland's enormous renewable energy potential and our sustainable transport objectives. Hydrogen Bus.

"The project will be a showcase for the potential of hydrogen, not only in buses and other vehicle fleets, but for the wider benefits of electrolysers, energy storage, and fuel cells."

(CD)