UK supermarket chain Sainsbury’s has joined the UKH2Mobility programme in its second phase to promote a hydrogen-refuelling infrastructure and the use of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (HFCEV) in the UK.
The programme is evaluating the potential for hydrogen as a fuel for vehicles specifically in the UK to decarbonise transport and lower emissions. The next phase will be to review the investments that will be required to commercialise both the technology and refuelling infrastructure, before developing a plan to rollout to consumers in 2014/2015. Sainsbury’s will join a range of energy and technology companies, as well as automakers and government departments, in the cross-industry programme to find the most cost-effective system for reducing CO2 emissions in transportation using hydrogen.
The Business and Energy Minister, Michael Fallon, said, “Successful commercialisation of the technology will require the government to work in strong partnership with industry. Prompt action is needed to ensure the potential benefits are realised by businesses and consumers in the UK and work on the next phase will start straight away.”
Fallon said the report of the first phase of the project showed that HFCEVs can have an impact upon securing new economic opportunities for the UK, diversifying our national energy supply and driving down carbon emissions.