Can hydrogen power the cars of tomorrow?

Many experts believe hydrogen fuel is the future of motoring. Unlike battery-powered vehicles, hydrogen-powered ones have the range, speed and performance of present power plants - with no harmful emissions.

Now, one of only two hydrogen refuelling stations operational in the United Kingdom has been opened at Loughborough University, central England.

Among the partners that worked to bring about the installation are hydrogen fuel-cell developer Intelligent Energy - originally a spin-out company from Loughborough University - as well as Cenex, Bryte Energy, Air Products, and the East Midlands Development Agency.

Loughborough University

The facility will enable Loughborough University to add impetus to its research on hydrogen and fuel cells. Intelligent Energy will use it as a refuelling point for its development programmes as it looks to build and test fleets of hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles.

The university’s ultimate goal is to transfer its own fleet of service vehicles over to hydrogen, and the presence of a cluster of expertise including Intelligent Energy and Cenex in the region makes this a realistic ambition.

Based at Holywell Park, the facility is one of a number of hydrogen refuelling stations being set up across the region by the British Midlands Hydrogen Forum. Known as the Midlands Hydrogen Ring, the stations will be at the heart of the hydrogen fuelling infrastructure planned for the UK.

Loughborough University has once again demonstrated that its green credentials are second to none

Dr Jon Moore

Director of Communications

Intelligent Energy

Loughborough University’s Chief Operating Officer Will Spinks declared Loughborough’s refueller officially open. And the world’s first hydrogen fuel-cell motorcycle - the ENV built by Intelligent Energy - was the first vehicle to be refuelled at the station.

Intelligent Energy’s Director of Communications Dr Jon Moore said: “Loughborough University has once again demonstrated that its green credentials are second to none. The university and the consortium that made this refueller a reality have shown the sort of leadership that will make a real difference to the future of clean technology in the UK. We are very proud to be part of this project.”

Intelligent Energy

Intelligent Energy’s headquarters and principal fuel-cell power systems research, development and production facility is located within the Innovation Centre, on the campus of Loughborough University.

The staff at the Loughborough operation are working on fundamental fuel-cell research and development, including materials testing and characterisation. Systems design and application engineering, durability testing, field trials, production engineering and manufacturing development are also carried out there.

The facility comprises a number of production, assembly, development areas, test beds, engineering and electrical workshops, offices and meeting rooms.

Funding for the refueller came from Loughborough University in partnership with East Midlands Development Agency and it was built by Air Products.

Initially, an external supplier will provide hydrogen gas for the facility but the university is investigating ways of creating its own renewable hydrogen through the use of green technologies on campus.

The first hydrogen fuel station opened at Birmingham University in 2008. It is conducting trials with a fleet of vehicles. Air Products, the company that installed the fuel station, is also working with Transport for London to build fuel stations for a fleet of hydrogen-powered vehicles.

Honda has developed the Clarity, the first fuel-cell car to be produced commercially. It claims the vehicle offers three times better fuel efficiency than a traditional, petrol-powered car.