EFFICIENT PRODUCTS
A
ccording to ‘Bus Back Better: National Bus Strategy for England’ (published March
2021), the government expects ‘all LTAs to work with bus operators and energy providers to decarbonise the local bus fleet in their Bus Service Improvement Plans’. It is also providing funding through the £120 million Zero Emission Buses Regional Area (ZEBRA) scheme. However, local authorities are still dealing with
disruption and financial difficulties cause by the pandemic. Therefore, councils should consider all options when tackling a big project like decarbonising transport hubs. The government has already signalled its
openness to different approaches. According to the Bus Back Better announcement: ‘Zero-emission buses can run on electric batteries or hydrogen fuel-cells… we will consider all technologies fairly’. While both technologies have their strengths,
hydrogen is less-well understood. However, hydrogen fuel cells have some distinct advantages over batteries for larger electric vehicles, especially those that need to cover large distances. Forward-thinking councils are already converting fleets to hydrogen, but if you’re not sure where to start, here’s a quick guide on how to kick-start hydrogen infrastructure to support the drive to decarbonise transport.
WHAT VEHICLE TYPES ARE SUITABLE FOR HYDROGEN? The range of vehicle types fuelled by hydrogen is expanding and now includes buses, cars, refuse trucks, road sweepers, gritters, vans and even forklift trucks. Hydrogen is especially suited to large and heavy electric vehicles, as it avoids the need for large batteries, offers a similar range to diesel and has a fast and familiar refuelling process.
HOW BIG DOES THE PROJECT NEED TO BE, AND WHO WILL FUND IT? You can start the journey to zero emission fleets with a single hydrogen refuelling station large enough for about ten buses and a small fleet of vehicles. Or you can join forces with other organisations to build a shared refuelling facility with a larger vehicle usage which can dramatically bring down the price of hydrogen. If you want to start small and build as demand
increases, that’s no problem either. You can take a modular approach to the design and build of your refuelling station. If you commit to a high-volume refuelling hub, a
hydrogen fuel specialist like BOC may even finance it for you. You may also be able to take advantage of the Government’s ZEBRA scheme which we mentioned earlier, which has already committed to making £120 million available to councils for the purchase of zero emissions buses and the reduction of carbon emissions from local public transport.
HOW MUCH SPACE DO I NEED FOR A REFUELLING FACILITY? As well as the dispensing pumps, a refuelling station will need space to store the hydrogen and an electrolyser to produce it. However, the space needed is typically no bigger than a traditional petrol forecourt. Layouts can be designed to fit almost any space and sites can be safely located within a residential area if required.
26
Can hydrogen help in
the race to decarbonise transport hubs?
In line with recommendations from the Climate Change Committee, the government has set out its most ambitious climate change target to date – a 78% reduction in carbon emissions by 2035; and Councils and local authorities will be expected to play a role in meeting this target. BOC explains how hydrogen fuel cells can help when decarbonising transport hubs
DO I NEED A LOCAL SOURCE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR GREEN HYDROGEN PRODUCTION? To produce green hydrogen, you need renewable energy. We work with customers to source this directly from local wind or solar farms or buy from a supplier. Under the latest government proposals, an electrolyser would no longer need a direct connection to a renewable generator for its hydrogen to count as green.
IS HYDROGEN SAFE? Hydrogen refuelling stations are safe. You must of course ensure appropriate safety distances from nearby assets, but this can be calculated and built into the engineering design. Hydrogen storage vessels are purpose built and designed to maintain pressures at optimal, safe levels, and pumps are designed to ensure a safe connection between the dispenser and vehicle – with effective system safety checks every time hydrogen is dispensed.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT? Typical total build time is around 15-18 months. This includes planning permission, civil engineering works, construction and commissioning. The current lead time for hydrogen electrolysers is about 12 months and for compression tanks it’s about nine months.
IS THERE PROOF OF THE TECHNOLOGY? When Aberdeen City Council wanted to develop a cleaner public transport network, it worked with
ENERGY MANAGEMENT - Autumn 2021
BOC to develop, install and operate a tailored, state-of-the-art, hydrogen refuelling station. The facility, based at the Kittybrewster bus depot, produces green hydrogen from electrolysis on site, and supplies the current fleet of ten 42-seat buses that travel up to 350km each day. Kittybrewster is now accessible to all hydrogen- fuelled vehicles, including double decker buses and private vehicles, and has attracted over £20m of investment into Aberdeen.
HOW CAN I GET STARTED? With the announcement of the government’s latest carbon target, the need to decarbonise transport has become even more pressing. But the good news is: getting started with hydrogen is simple. The first step is to find the right partner. A good
hydrogen fuel specialist should be able to manage the whole project, from assessing specific transport and infrastructure needs to advising on funding, design and development of the facility. It can even operate and maintain the facility.
BOC
www.boconline.co.uk
For further information on decarbonising transport fleets with hydrogen, you might find BOC’s guide to Decarbonising Transport with Hydrogen Hubs a useful resource:
https://www.boconline.co.uk/en/products-and- supply/hydrogen-energy-solutions/hydrogen-
hubs.html
www.energymanagementmag.co.uk
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