UK hydrogen refuelling firm Element 2 has signed a deal to develop what it claims will be the UK’s first permanent public refuelling stations for hydrogen-powered HGVs.

The Yorkshire-based company will develop refuelling facilities on the A1 and the M6 motorway in Yorkshire and Cumbria at service stations operated by HGV services firm Exelby Services.

“This partnership is a pivotal moment in bringing hydrogen refuelling to the UK’s roads,” says Tim Harper, CEO of Element 2. “We are building the UK’s network of hydrogen refuelling stations in response to growing demand from fleet owners and operators as they accelerate the transition of their HGV fleets to zero emissions, which will be critical in helping the UK meet its zero-carbon targets.”

“We are building the UK’s network of hydrogen refuelling stations in response to growing demand from fleet owners and operators” Harper, Element 2

Element 2’s infrastructure at the two service stations will including hydrogen tanker supply, storage, compression and dispensing. It will also provide Exelby with technical and logistical support during the planning and scoping phase of the project.

Element 2 will also deploy its mobile hydrogen refuelling systems to meet demand while the two permanent stations are being developed.

The UK government recently launched a £200mn ($241mn) demonstrator programme designed to compare the refuelling and recharging infrastructure needs of battery electric and hydrogen-powered HGVs over a three-year period.

A road transport network for hydrogen in the UK would be best supplied by compressed gas distributed in trailers, according to a joint study published earlier this month by BP and industrial gases firm BOC.

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Author: Stuart Penson