Could we Finally Witness a Permeant Refuelling Station Breakthrough?
Announcing that Element 2 recently received planning approvals for two permanent hydrogen refuelling stations at Exelby Services’ Coneygarth and Golden Fleece service stations along the A1(M) and M6 motorways, how well will the uptake be?
Hoping there won’t be a boom and bust with the rollout of permanent infrastructure, Element 2 are hopeful that they can use this project as a platform to roll out at scale.
The fuel stations will provide daily retail capacity ranging from 1 to 2.5 tonnes and operate round the clock, with the capacity to serve more than 50 fills for Heavy Goods Vehicles daily. Additionally, these stations will be open to the public and cater to a wide range of vehicles, including light commercial, passenger, and Heavy Goods Vehicles.
Tim Harper, CEO, Element 2, said: “Our plan to decarbonise our roads is picking up pace. In the past two years, Element 2 has been a driving force in the UK’s energy transition, building a network of hydrogen refuelling stations and providing a regular supply of fuel cell-grade hydrogen to commercial fleet owners, operators and engine testing facilities.”
Planning permission is a huge hurdle to overcome in the process of delivering permanent infrastructure, so there will be a lot of confidence from the sector after seeing this specific project receive it.
All Eyes on the A1 and M6 for the future of infrastructure
All eyes will be on the delivery of this project, in what could be a groundbreaking moment for the decarbonisation of UK roads.
Rob Exelby, Managing Director, Exelby Services, expanded on this: “We are delighted our hydrogen refuelling stations with Element 2 have received planning permission. We are supporting a range of investments to support the UK’s haulage industry with net-zero targets and plan to integrate hydrogen into our forecourt operations around the country.
“Hydrogen is the obvious choice for larger HGVs, but we can see demand for hydrogen vans and lighter goods vehicles ramping up too. The addition of hydrogen refuelling solutions to our Coneygarth and Golden Fleece service stations comes at a critical time for our customers who are looking to replace their vehicles right now.”
Element 2 are aligning themselves with government targets
The government has set a target of reducing CO2 emissions from medium and heavy-duty vehicles, and to achieve this, the majority of new truck sales by 2040 must be comprised of vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells or batteries rather than diesel engines.
The approved designs prioritise sustainability and are geared towards benefiting the environment and local ecosystem of each site. This is achieved not only through reduced emissions but also by carefully selecting materials, utilising low-energy manufacturing techniques, and incorporating innovative solutions.
Harper concluded: “Transport accounts for one-fifth of global CO₂ emissions, and one-fifth of those come from trucks carrying freight. We are building the essential infrastructure to meet the demand and achieve net zero targets.”
