2014 could see the nationwide commercial launch of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles, as three UK governmental sectors working in unison with 13 trade manufacturers begin preparations towards the motoring industry of tomorrow and the UKH2Mobility initiative.

Derby, UK (Carbag.co.uk News) 7th February 2012. The project which strives to produce hydrogen-

fuelled, ultra low carbon vehicles has been awarded government funding to the sum of £400 million, and along with the involvement of Toyota and Daimler, SSE, the DfT and DECC, it’s surely set to succeed.

Business and Enterprise minister Mark Prisk spoke at the recent UKH2Mobility launch...

“The government is supporting this market by investing £400 million to support the development, demonstration and deployment of low and ultra-low emission vehicles. Hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles are highly efficient, can be fuelled in minutes, travel an equivalent range to a conventional combustion engine, and have zero tail-pipe emissions.”

Intending to boost the UKs global profile to market-leading status, UKH2Mobility will study the introduction plans, marketing strategy, and economic viability and sustainability requirements involved for the successful launch of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles.

Nobody produces commercial hydrogen vehicles in the UK today, although numerous companies such as Nissan are researching technological advances in the field, keenly shaping the future of this vial industry from the outset.

Intelligent Energy CE Dr Henri Winand enthused about the research...

“Fuel cell vehicles, storage and refuelling technology are here today, they work! We now need to look at how we can make these elements, together with the hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, work most effectively to enable the UK to take full advantage of hydrogen as a transport fuel”.

Somewhat surprisingly, concerns have been raised regarding both the planet-saving aspect of hydrogen cars and of the supportive infrastructure which will either make or break their ongoing validity in the marketplace. So, can they reduce CO2 emissions?

According to last summer’s widely publicised ‘Ricardo’s lifecycle emissions comparison of all vehicles’ report, the UKs hydrogen production could be reduced by as much as 90% when obtained from renewable sources, an approach already adopted by Air Products.

Air Products’ Hydrogen Energy Systems Sales Manager Diana Raine commented on plans for a large London-based plant comparable to the one already used by Air in California, and the forward-thinking approach required for its success...

"This initiative is about trying to get out of this chicken-and-egg situation to map out a way to make both happen, economically. It’s about stimulating the market to create a demand for hydrogen that will make it economic for firms to come forward and generate hydrogen from renewable sources."

All very well, but questions have been raised with regard to the actual CO2 levels these ‘greener’ cars; according to the aforementioned Ricardo report they resemble a midsized petrol-driven vehicle but are a fifth higher than an electric car of the similar size.

As for infrastructure which at present accommodates eight hydrogen buses operating on London's RB1 route, there are only 11 UK fuelling stations, but the provisional plans of companies throughout the UK could soon bring change involving an array of vehicles.

If green power evolves in the proposed manner, it’s likely that incentives such as the plug-in car grant will see initial expansion so as to encourage uptake and to further promote the integration of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles.

So, can hydrogen really drive us toward a greener tomorrow? Questions surrounding carbon reduction must be resolved of course, but with support from so many reputable companies and organisations, a hydrogen-fuelled future is almost certainly forecast.

By Anthony Standring
Journalist/ Acting Editor