Cranfield University is working to support the drive to net zero transport with the opening of a new hydrogen refuelling station on campus, with hydrogen vehicles from the university and outside able to top-up at the new facility.
There are currently only a handful of hydrogen refuelling stations around the UK –Cranfield said its one is ideally placed for researchers working on projects such as autonomous vehicle development, as well as industry partners at the nearby Millbrook vehicle test track.
The station fills fuel-cell electric vehicles with pressurised hydrogen and is already used by one of Cranfield’s fuel-cell buses, which the university uses in hydrogen research and development.
Additionally, the Fuel Cell Systems HyQube350 dispenser is located on campus near Cranfield Airport to enable access for zero emission ground support vehicles.
Jon Horsley, transport systems development manager at Cranfield University, said: “Cranfield has a long history of hydrogen-related research across aviation, automotive and energy system applications.
“The HyQube further builds on this. It can provide up to approximately 4kg of hydrogen per hour into a vehicle and will enable either on-road or off-road vehicles, in addition to agricultural or military vehicles, to be developed using Cranfield’s hydrogen technology.”
Furthermore, the university’s Hydrogen Research Network aims to bring together researchers covering the whole supply chain of hydrogen. Projects include the HyPER project, which examines the potential for low-carbon hydrogen to be the fuel of the future, and the ENABLEH2 initiative, which researches the use of liquid hydrogen in civil aviation.
