Hydrogen transport pilots in the Tees Valley area will establish the UK as a leader in the technology, transport secretary Grant Shapps said today as he unveiled the winners of a £2.5m R&D competition.
The trials, which include the retrofitting of a double-decker diesel bus with a hybrid fuel cell system and plans to demonstrate the use of hydrogen in delivery vans, will help to understand the role hydrogen has in meeting the 2050 net zero ambitions.
The winners include Stagecoach, Ricardo PLC, Toyota and HV Systems.
‘With less than 100 days to go until COP26, I’m committed to supporting industry to develop innovative new technologies that will decarbonise transport, helping us to build back greener and level up the country,’ said Mr Shapps.
‘By harnessing the power of hydrogen technology, we can pave the way for its use across all transport modes, creating cleaner, greener more efficient transport systems across the UK.’
Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen said: ‘Through trialling the use of hydrogen in transport across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool, we are spearheading the path to a greener future by developing the knowledge and expertise needed to roll hydrogen out as a fuel source across the country.
‘In Teesside, we already produce 50% of the UK’s hydrogen, so there is no better place for this research to take place. This new investment shows how Teesside is leading the way in the drive for the UK to be net zero by 2050, creating good-quality, well-paid, clean energy jobs in the process.’
