UK leads hydrogen fuel project for cleaner air in China

The project will work towards producing hydrogen fuel for commercial vehicles, as well as developing storage space for the fuel.

ULEMCo, a Liverpool based integrator of hydrogen systems for transport, has been selected to lead a project to reduce carbon and ultra-low air quality emissions for vehicles in China within the next 10 years.

The £2 million, 24-month project will investigate the practical challenges of developing mass market hydrogen fuelled vehicles for China, particularly commercial vehicles. It will explore routes to green hydrogen production, and relevant hydrogen storage approaches designed to meet the specific market challenges in China.    

The Chinese government has prioritised the need to decarbonise energy and address air quality problems through the use of hydrogen energy from renewables for vehicles.

The project will optimise photo-catalysts using high throughput robotics into a scaled production system capable of producing high volumes of hydrogen vehicle fuel.

It will also develop high surface area materials for the storage of hydrogen and its incorporation into purpose designed on-board fuel storage.

ULEMCo will use its capability for safe conversion of commercial vehicles into dual fuel hydrogen/diesel combustion, and develop a better emission standard vehicle suitable for Chinese markets. The project will combine an engine control approach, hydrogen selective catalysts and low cost storage systems into a mass production retrofit conversion kit for light and heavy duty commercial vehicles.

Paul Turner, technical director of ULEMCo, said: “This is a real opportunity to open up a potentially huge market for our commercial dual fuel approach in China. More broadly, this is a real benefit to the UK in the post-Brexit days ahead.”

The project has received funding via Innovate UK from the Newton Fund, which uses science and innovation partnerships to promote the economic development and welfare of countries overseas.