Following a competitive process, UK automotive will receive around £19 million for five government-backed R&D projects that will ensure the UK remains at the forefront of global development in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.
Funded by the UK’s innovation agency, the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) and the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), the projects will demonstrate the use of fuel cell systems and hydrogen technologies in low carbon transport and energy systems. They will show how these technologies can be integrated with other energy and transport components, such as renewable energy generation, refuelling infrastructure and vehicles, to develop whole systems and show them working together.
“The UK has innovative businesses developing world-leading hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. By developing a coherent capability and a vibrant industry, we’ll be in a position to capture a share of the global market, encourage international partnerships and inward investment, thus growing the economy and creating jobs,” said, Business Minister Mark Prisk.
The five projects will be led by Air Products plc, BOC Ltd, ITM Power (Trading), Rutland Management Ltd and SSE plc, and involve:
- The creation of the UK’s first end-to-end, integrated, green hydrogen production, distribution and retailing system, centred around a fully publically accessible, state-of-the-art 700 bar renewable H2 refuelling station network across London (Air Products plc).
- The delivery of solar energy generated hydrogen for Swindon’s existing public access H2 refuelling station via an electrolyser, and its use in materials handling vehicles and light vans at Honda’s manufacturing plant (BOC Ltd).
- The integration, on the Isle of Wight, of an electrolyser based refueller with renewable energy, enabling zero carbon hydrogen to be produced for use as a transport fuel for a range of vehicles. (ITM Power).
- The demonstration of a viable solar-hydrogen energy system, with benefits shared by multiple end users of a business park in Surrey, through the 24/7 provision of green electricity and heat (Rutland Management Ltd).
- The demonstration of a whole renewable hydrogen system, connecting a 1MWe electrolyser to the grid, in conjunction with an Aberdeenshire wind farm, to explore the grid impacts and energy storage potential of hydrogen generation, and to provide the green hydrogen produced to power a fleet of fuel cell buses (SSE plc).
One of the ways SMMT recognises UK automotive innovation is through the annual Award for Automotive Innovation. To find out more and to enter, visit: /aai
