Hydrogen vehicle and infrastructure company First Hydrogen is planning to expand into the EU market, where it intends to trial its hydrogen fuel-cell light commercial vans and to identify potential green hydrogen production projects.

The company, which is based in Canada and the UK, will also look to identify opportunities to contribute to planned national hydrogen distribution networks on the continent.

“The EU policy framework and commitment to hydrogen is now in place and represents a significant opportunity for First Hydrogen’s total solution business model of providing fleet vehicles and hydrogen as a service,” says Nicholas Wrigley, chairman of First Hydrogen UK.

“We are able to quickly move into Europe by leveraging the work already completed in the UK with our initial demonstrator vans” Wrigley, First Hydrogen

The initial focus in the EU will be on signing up fleets to participate in trials of its vans, which are expected to start in France and Germany in early 2024.

“We are able to quickly move into Europe by leveraging the work already completed in the UK with our initial demonstrator vans. Similar fleet trials are planned in the EU as planned with multiple fleet operators in the UK. Our vans are offering industry-leading range, rapid refuelling and performance,” says Steve Gill, CEO of First Hydrogen Automotive.

The company is developing light commercial vehicles under agreements with UK-based AVL Powertrain and Canada-headquartered fuel-cell manufacturer Ballard Power Systems.

It is also developing four green hydrogen production plants in the UK. Two of the projects have applied for funding under the government’s £240mn ($267mn) Net Zero Hydrogen Fund. They are both 40MW projects, based in Greater Manchester and in the Thames Estuary area.

First Hydrogen is also working to identify potential projects in North America, where it is accelerating its strategy following the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act.

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Author: Stuart Penson