Engineering and environmental consultancy Ricardo has been awarded provisional funding by a UK government-backed initiative to develop a hydrogen engine development facility.
The planned new test centre, a modified version of one of Ricardo’s existing conventional engine test cells at its Shoreham Technical Centre in West Sussex, aims to help bring forward the development of hydrogen powered vehicles as an emission-free and more environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuel use.
To enable development of the new facility, Ricardo applied for funding from the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership’s allocation granted from the UK government’s overarching Getting Building Fund, which is aimed at stimulating jobs and economic recovery across the UK by supporting local ‘shovel-ready’ infrastructure projects.
Ricardo has been notified of the provisional award of funding from the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership, with the final decision awaiting formal ratification by the government later in 2020.
Subject to the formal award of funding, the project will provide a hydrogen generation, storage and transmission infrastructure designed to supply pressurised gas to an enhanced engine development test facility, which can be used for research and development tests on hydrogen-fuelled engines and powertrains.
This project is subject to full business case submission and approvals via relevant governance arrangements.
