Hydrogen refuelling stations for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) are set to be built in the South West following a major deal. Element 2, a UK hydrogen refuelling business, signed the agreement with Tower Group, a distributor of the natural gas, which is building hydrogen hubs in Devon and Cornwall as part of a larger ecosystem it’s establishing in the region.
The partnership will connect Tower Group’s locally produced green hydrogen with the infrastructure required to supply fuel to hydrogen-powered trucks and haulage vehicles, Element 2 said.
As part of the deal, Element 2 will supply its mobile refuelling solutions as well as building permanent refuelling stations for hydrogen-powered HGVs along key haulage routes in Devon and Cornwall.
Meanwhile, Tower Group is planning to establish hydrogen hub sites along the M5 motorway and A30 trunk roads connecting the South West with London. The hubs will have the capacity for long-term energy storage and Element 2 will provide end-to-end systems for offtakes of Tower Group-produced hydrogen as part of the deal.
Dr Andrew Hagan, chief development officer at Element 2, said: “The announcement is further evidence of us delivering on our plans to operate a UK-wide network of safe, high-quality hydrogen refuelling stations from Land’s End to John o’ Groats by 2027.
“By working in partnership with Tower Group and other forward-thinking organisations in the UK hydrogen economy, together we will enable the decarbonisation of heavy goods transport across the country and deliver a greener future.”
Alex King, chief executive of Tower Group, said the company’s plan to develop an ecosystem of hydrogen hubs in the South West would support local jobs and industry.
Mr King said: “Hydrogen will play a central role in the decarbonisation of a range of industries in the South West, including road transport. Our hydrogen hubs will have the capacity to store significant volumes of hydrogen, and working with partners like Element 2, we will be able to ensure a regular and reliable supply of hydrogen to customers.”
Element 2 will also provide Tower Group with technical and logistical support for planning or scoping exercises in relation to establishing its hydrogen refuelling solutions, it said, as well as collaborating with Tower Group to identify fleet customers for the hydrogen stored at its facilities.
The news follows an announcement last year of a consortium of South West firms planning to develop major hydrogen infrastructure across the region. The group of businesses is looking to enable cross-sector partnerships to produce, utilise, capture, store and transport the element across the area, as part of efforts to decarbonise industry and drive regional growth.
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