Element 2 and other members of the Tees Valley Hydrogen Hub yesterday (5 October) joined Ann-Marie Trevelyan, the Secretary of State for Transport, and Tees Valley Mayor, Ben Houchen, for the launch of a new government backed competition to harness the power of hydrogen in new transport projects.
Transport Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said:
“Climate change is one of the biggest challenges this generation faces, and with transport contributing 24% to the UK’s Co2 levels, we are working hard to change things now and for the future.
“Tees Valley continues to be the beacon for hydrogen technologies and will be further supported by £20 million going to the best and the brightest ideas that will create a world leading industry, with more skilled jobs in the heart of the north of England.”
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Department for Transport (DfT) launched phase one of this initiative last year. Element 2 were engaged to provide hydrogen refuelling infrastructure and fuel for seven hydrogen vehicles trials across Tees Valley.
Element 2 demonstrated its hydrogen refuelling infrastructure to the Transport Secretary yesterday, with the support of previous competition winners Cataeno Bus and Toyota.
Tim Harper, CEO, Element 2, commented:
“We were delighted to support the first phase of the Tees Valley Hydrogen Hub competition. By placing three mobile refuelling stations across the Teesside region, we were able to support buses, trucks, cars and industrial vehicles with all of their hydrogen needs.
“The combination of Element 2’s hydrogen refuelling with state-of-the-art hydrogen vehicles has proven hydrogen’s effectiveness as an alternative fuel to diesel. With a significant volume of hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles expected to arrive in the UK next year, we are well on the way to making the UK a global decarbonisation success story.”
As part of the new Tees Valley competition, run by Innovate UK, businesses and research groups will collaborate to discover how hydrogen can be used as a reliable fuel source. From lowering carbon emissions on grocery deliveries to making the air in cities cleaner, today’s investment opens up the possibilities of hydrogen to revolutionise how people live and breathe across the country.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said:
“With ever-increasing global energy prices, a looming net zero deadline but a real chance to grab emerging opportunity with both hands, now more than ever we must be looking to the cleaner, safer and healthier industries of the future, such as hydrogen.
“The first phase of our Hydrogen Transport Hub pilot, at sites including Teesside Airport, has already proved a great success, showing how these vehicles can be used safely, effectively and cleanly in a whole range of ways.”