The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) revealed that the Hydrilyte Refueler Prototype project has been awarded funding through the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP) Longer Duration Energy Storage Demonstration program.

Under the first phase of the two-phase program, the consortium is delivering a feasibility study for a Phase 2 prototype which, if successful, will be built between 2022 and 2024 at Holyhead in North Wales.

The consortium includes:

• Corre Energy (Prime contractor and project administration)
• Carbon280 (Hydrilyte Technology developer)
• Worley (EPCM)
• Element 2 (Hydrogen Refueler)
• Menter Môn (Holyhead Hydrogen Hub proposed site for the refueler prototype) and
• Energy Reform (Energy systems modeling)

The prototype will demonstrate the ability to store hydrogen in Hydrilyte at a hydrogen hub, transport the Hydrilyte using standard fuel tankers and release the hydrogen into an Element2 hydrogen refueling system.

There is a need for new technologies that can provide grid flexibility by utilizing excess electricity generation. This otherwise curtailed electricity, can be cheaply converted into hydrogen, which is zero carbon fuel and better suited than batteries to the needs of heavier vehicles like buses and HGVs. While refueling with hydrogen is simple, getting the hydrogen to the service stations is proving to be a problem and this project is addressing that.

Transporting hydrogen from hubs where it is produced, to service stations where it is used, involves movements through urban areas, so safety is very important. Consequently, the UK’s COMAH regulations for dangerous goods prohibit the storage of hydrogen gas in large volumes in non-industrial areas like truck stops.

"This limitation on volume practically limits the number of trucks that a truck stop can service to around eight to 10 HGVs per day. With around 500,000 HGVs on UK roads, compressed hydrogen simply doesn’t offer the scalability as a ‘Hub to Station' hydrogen carrier," said Brendan Bilton, Founder and Chief Technology Officer at hydrogen refueling specialists, Element 2. "We are excited to be part of this project because Hydrilyte has the potential to provide a safe and scalable alternative that will enable the UK to lead the world in the transition from diesel to hydrogen powered heavy vehicles by 2030."