A large coalition of European partners has launched the Hydrogen Mobility Europe project (H2ME) and its coming to Wales.
H2ME is co-funded with €32 million from the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU). The project will support the deployment of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) and Hydrogen Refuelling Stations (HRS) across Europe.
H2ME is the largest European project of this nature and is based around an alliance of the four most ambitious hydrogen mobility initiatives in Europe: H2 MOBILITY Deutschland, Mobilité Hydrogène France, Scandinavian Hydrogen Highway Partnership and UK H2 Mobility.
These initiatives originally brought together the key stakeholders in the hydrogen sector (vehicle manufacturers, hydrogen refuelling station providers and Government representatives), to study and develop strategies to make hydrogen-fuelled transport a reality in the respective regions.
These initiatives will now be working together to make hydrogen-fuelled transport a reality in Europe. Under H2ME they will deploy 200 FCEVs, 125 fuel cell range-extended electric (FC RE-EVs) commercial vans and 29 new HRSs in 10 countries (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK) by 2019.
Dr Rachel Smith, Executive Director, ITM Power plc and coordinator for the UK activities under H2ME commented, “The H2ME project is a fantastic opportunity to develop the refuelling infrastructure in the UK. The project is perfectly timed to coincide with the introduction of fuel cell cars in Europe, enabling evaluation of end-user experiences of hydrogen stations and FCEVs. The UK Consortia, led by ITM Power is delighted to participate in this project and to demystify the role of hydrogen, show the readiness of the stations and vehicles, and to enable the widespread and rapid adoption of clean emission transport.”
In October 2013 Welsh Government funds were used to set up ITM Motive and develop fuel cell refuelling technology along the M4 corridor and other parts of Wales in conjunction with the objectives of the Welsh Low Carbon Vehicle Steering Group, headed by Prof Garel Rhys, chairman of the Welsh Automotive Forum.
The latest plan is to upgrade the test refuelling facility at University of Wales, Baglan next year.
