New Government and cross
industry programme to make hydrogen powered travel in the UK a reality
A ground breaking project to ensure the UK is well positioned
for the commercial roll-out of hydrogen fuel cell electric
vehicles has been launched, Business Minister Mark Prisk announced today.
The new programme – UKH2Mobility – will evaluate the potential
for hydrogen as a fuel for Ultra Low Carbon Vehicles in the UK
before developing an action plan for an anticipated roll-out to
consumers in 2014/15. It aims to:
· Analyse in detail the specific UK case for the introduction of
hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles as one of a number of
solutions to decarbonise road transport and quantify the potential
emissions benefits;
· Review the investments required to commercialise the
technology, including refuelling infrastructure; and
· Identify what is required to make the UK a leading global
player in hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle manufacturing
thereby paving the way for economic opportunities to the UK,
through the creation of new jobs and boosting of local economies.
The group brings together the Government and industrial
participants from the utility, gas, infrastructure and global car
manufacturing sectors.
All of the participants have signed a Memorandum of Understanding
to agree to share their knowledge and expertise.
Speaking at the launch of UKH2Mobility Mark Prisk said:
“The UK is proving itself to be a key early market for ultra-low
emission vehicles with growing numbers of electric and plug-in
hybrids appearing on our roads. The Government is supporting this
market by investing £400million to support the development,
demonstration and deployment of these vehicles.
“Hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles are increasingly being
recognised as one of the viable options as we move to a lower
carbon motoring future. They are highly efficient, can be fuelled
in minutes, travel an equivalent range to a conventional
combustion engine, and have zero tail-pipe emissions.
“This country has a number of world-class companies that are
developing exciting technologies in both the hydrogen energy and
automotive value chains and it is vitally important that we
identify what is required to make these cars a realistic
proposition for UK consumers.
“UKH2Mobility will bring together industry expertise to establish
the UK as a serious global player in the manufacture and use of
hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles and the supporting infrastructure.”
Jerry Hardcastle, Vice-President for Vehicle Design and
Development at Nissan said:
“This is an important step for the automotive sector towards the
development of clean vehicle technologies and zero emission
mobility. It will lay many of the foundations for the commercial
deployment of hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric vehicles which
could represent a large segment of the UK market in the coming
years. With this comprehensive list of partners we can be assured
to have all the knowledge necessary to make UKH2 Mobility an
exhaustive and credible study.”
Kevin Michaelis, Regional Vice President, Liquid Bulk/Generated
Gases–Europe, Air Products, said:
“This project brings together the leading hydrogen infrastructure
providers, at the forefront of deployment worldwide, with the
common goal of supporting the rollout of hydrogen transport across
the United Kingdom.
“The hydrogen infrastructure sector has been working over a
number of years to develop hydrogen transport in the UK. We are
very pleased that the progress made is being recognised by the
Government in this ground breaking initiative that will shift the
focus from R&D to deployment of hydrogen infrastructure.
“Working together with Government and leading car manufacturers
we can support the creation of a hydrogen transport infrastructure
that will dramatically cut harmful vehicle emissions and move the
UK towards a zero carbon transport system.”
Dr Henri Winand, Chief Executive of Intelligent Energy said:
“The UK H2Mobility is a ground breaking industry led task force.
Its job is to roll its sleeves up and ensure that the UK is well
positioned for the commercial roll-out of hydrogen fuel cell
vehicles from 2014/15 as part of a balanced portfolio of
drivetrains. 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; stimulating inward
investment, GDP growth and securing and creating new jobs.”
UKH2Mobility will deliver its evaluation of the potential of
hydrogen as a transport fuel by the end of 2012. If the results
are positive, an action plan will be developed to work through the
steps needed to get the UK ready to be one of the first markets
for the global commercial roll out of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric
Vehicles.
Notes to Editors:
1) There are 13 industry participants (below) in UKH2Mobility
together with three UK Government Departments – The Department for
Business, Innovation and Skills, The Department for Transport and
the Department for Energy and Climate Change in addition to the European
Fuel Cells & Hydrogen Joint Undertaking.
2) Hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles themselves share a
large proportion of the electric motor and drive train technology
with other electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles; it is the energy
storage/conversion devices that are different. The fuel cell is an
electrochemical device that can be refuelled quickly and will
continue to generate power so long as it is fed with hydrogen
fuel. They are highly efficient devices (50-60 per cent compared
to an average of around 20 per cent for internal combustion
engines) that produce no emissions or pollutants at the tail-pipe
and much reduced overall well-to-wheel emissions when compared
with today’s petrol and diesel engines.
3) Hydrogen is a clean energy carrier. When used as fuel in fuel
cell systems it does not produce any carbon emissions (carbon
monoxide, carbon dioxide, unburned hydrocarbons or particulates).
Therefore, using hydrogen will contribute to the improvement of
air quality and the reduction of CO 2 .
4) Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric vehicles are seen as part of the
portfolio of solutions that will be required to decarbonise road
transport. The Automotive Council Roadmap identifies a pathway
where fuel cell electric vehicles will complement hybrid and
battery electric vehicles and more efficient internal combustion engines.
5) The Government continues to take a technology-neutral approach
to supporting low and ultra-low carbon vehicle technology and
recognises that a portfolio of solutions will be required to
decarbonise transport. Both the Plug-in Car Grant and Plug-In Van
Grant are open to all vehicles meeting the performance criteria,
including hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, pure electric and plug-in
hybrid models. These Grants give both private and business
consumers a reduction in the upfront cost of eligible vehicles (http://www.dft.gov.uk/topics/sustainable/olev/plug-in-car-grant/)
6) Industry signatory parties to the Memorandum of Understanding are:
Air
Liquide, SA
Air Products PLC
Daimler AG
Hyundai Motor Company
Intelligent
Energy Limited
ITM
Power PLC
Johnson
Matthey PLC
Nissan
Motor Manufacturing (UK) Limited
Scottish and Southern Energy plc
Tata Motors European
Technical Centre plc
The
BOC Group Limited
Toyota
Motor Corporation
Vauxhall Motors
Contacts:
BIS Press Office
NDS.BIS@coi.gsi.gov.uk
Matt Barker
Phone: 020 7215 5946
matt.barker@bis.gsi.gov.uk