The UK is falling behind other countries in deploying refuelling infrastructure for hydrogen vehicles, an industry body has warned. The UK Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association (UK HFCA) has set up a working group to examine the issue of hydrogen refuelling in the country, with a focus on providing recommendations for future provision.

“Aside from the actual vehicle technology, the creation of a fuelling station network is essential to the market development of these new vehicles,” says Celia Greaves, CEO of UK HFCA.

“At the moment, there is a limited number of hydrogen refuelling stations in the UK. These offer refuelling times similar to conventional petrol or diesel cars, and we need to expand these networks so that, as we introduce more hydrogen vehicles to market, there is appropriate infrastructure for hydrogen fuel supply, distribution and sale,” she adds. “The UK is lagging behind other nations in its rollout of hydrogen for transport and we need to accelerate progress.”

While the UK government has set ambitious targets for hydrogen production, with the first contract-for-difference scheme for electrolytic hydrogen due to be awarded next year, a lack of clear policy support for hydrogen end-use in mobility has led some companies to prioritise other markets.

“If there was more support in the UK, we could focus a lot more energy in providing solutions” Anderson, Haskel

“The UK as an entity has been quite slow in waking up to the hydrogen world, and we have fallen behind, which is frustrating as it has an abundance of knowledge, experience and resources that we can pull upon,” Stewart Anderson, business development manager at hydrogen refuelling systems manufacturer Haskel, tells Hydrogen Economist.

He compares the UK to Europe, particularly France and Germany, where government support means hydrogen refuelling networks have already been established. Haskel has recently opened a manufacturing facility in northern France, with the expectation of further growth in European markets. The company has also expanded its presence in Asia-Pacific, where most of its 200 global small and large refuelling systems have been installed.

“If there was more support in the UK, we could focus a lot more energy on providing solutions,” Anderson adds, noting the country has not yet put the infrastructure in place. “We have obviously had to wind in our scope and have a look at where there is more potential, and that is what has opened up other markets to us.”

Llanwern investment

Industrial gases firm Air Products has announced it will invest £6.5mn ($7.7mn) into a hydrogen filling station at its Llanwern hydrogen facility in South Wales. The company aims to bring the station onstream in spring next year and expects to provide 1.5t/d of fuel-cell-grade hydrogen to up to 100 buses or 50 trucks.

Although Llanwern is a grey hydrogen facility, Air Products claims the investment into a filling station will “bring further confidence to end-users of green hydrogen”.

“Air Products has made an industry-leading commitment of at least $15bn to clean energy transition megaprojects to ensure, when governments or industries want to make the switch to clean hydrogen, they will know they have a reliable and secure supply,” says the firm’s UK director for hydrogen mobility, Manish Patel.

---

Author: Polly Martin