Page 9 - Gi_August2021

industry & government news

GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES £60M readiness levels between six and
seven, should apply for Stream 2 of
HYDROGEN FUNDING COMPETITION the competition, which will support
projects with up to £10 million per
project to demonstrate hydrogen supply
opportunities, the government said.
The government has pledged to
develop 5GW of low carbon hydrogen
ITM POWER
production capacity by 2030 and
is expected to flesh out its strategy
for scaling up both supply and
demand for the low carbon fuel in a
Hydrogen Strategy that is expected to
be published ahead of this autumn’s
COP26 Climate Summit.
Hydrogen fuel is seen by many
as “plug and play” climate solution
that can decarbonise a number of
energy-intensive sectors currently
powered by fossil fuels, such as heavy
HYDROGEN COULD HELP THE transport, industrial processes, and
UK REACH NET ZERO BY 2050 heating. However, the sector remains
in its infancy, with limited hydrogen
THE GOVERNMENT HAS launched a of low hydrogen supply solutions, the refuelling infrastructure established
£60 million competition for innovative Department for Business, Energy, and and the cost of producing the fuel
hydrogen production, storage, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) said, as it meaning it struggles to compete with
transport solutions, as part of its effort confirmed the competition would be gas and oil on a cost basis.
to accelerate the development of the split between two streams. The government’s first low carbon
UK’s nascent hydrogen economy, Stream 1 of the competition will hydrogen supply competition, which
reports BusinessGreen. support the development of feasibility wrapped in 2018, provided funding
Funding for the Low Carbon Supply studies for projects with technology for projects such as HyNet North
2 Competition comes from the readiness levels between four and six, West, an autothermal reforming (ATR)
government’s Net Zero Innovation offering up to £300,000 per project. project due to come online around
Portfolio, a £1 billion fund earmarked Initiatives that enter this stream will 2025. Both streams of the Low Carbon
for supporting the development of have the opportunity to access more Supply 2 Competition are now open
technologies that can help the UK meet funding – up to £6 million per project – to applications, the government said.
its 2050 net zero emissions target. for larger scale demonstration projects. Applications are also open to projects
Up to £60 million is to be awarded to Low carbon hydrogen projects that that did not submit an initial expression
projects that can develop a wide range are closer to market, with technological of interest.

LONDON LAUNCHES ENGLAND’S FIRST demonstration of how tackling air

HYDROGEN-POWERED DOUBLE DECKER BUSES pollution and the climate crisis and
boosting economic growth is about
regions working together, investing in
the very latest technology.”
TRANSPORT FOR LONDON (TFL) They will run on hydrogen cells
has added 20 new environmentally from a plant in Runcorn, using waste
friendly hydrogen double decker hydrogen from an industrial plant.
buses to its fleet. A greener process will be used from
Launched by London mayor Sadiq 2023, with cells being produced
Khan in Ealing, the buses will provide through electrolysis powered by an
commuters with smoother, quieter offshore windfarm.
journeys thanks to less vibrations. Each bus will need to be refuelled just
Free-to-use USB charging ports will once a day, taking as little as five minutes,
also be available onboard. at a new fuelling station in Ealing.
They will join more than 500 In January, TfL announced
electric and over 3,800 hybrid buses London’s buses meet or exceed the
in TFL’s 9,000-strong fleet. cleanest Euro VI emissions standards.
Khan said: “Our investment in these Diesel buses are also being phased out
hydrogen buses is not only helping of the fleet and older buses have been
us to clean up London’s air, but is retrofitted, reducing harmful NO
X
supporting jobs and local economics emissions from buses by an average of
LONDON WELCOMES NEW HYDROGEN BUSES across the UK. This is a great 90 per cent.

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News.indd 4 15/07/2021 13:20