UK updates : National co-funding awarded – new cities joining the “hydrogen club”

The Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) is one of the main national programmes supporting the uptake of zero emission mobility in the UK. Two key OLEV awards for the hydrogen bus sector took place last week :

Ultra Low Emission Bus Scheme - 20 fuel cell buses for Brighton & Hoves buses 

The Ultra Low Emission Bus Scheme was awarded to 19 bidders. This funding is dedicated solely to funding Ultra Low Emission and Zero Emission Buses : it will support the purchase of 263 ultra-low emission buses and provide £14.2million investment in charging and refuelling infrastructure.

Brighton & Hoves Buses is amongst the successful winners for the co-funding of 20 fuel cell buses (£3.6 m) and its refuelling infrastructure (£ 750,000). The 20 buses will operate on the fast way routes 10 & 20, connecting Gatwick Airport and Manor Royal with Crawley and Horley. This implements the first part of Brighton & Hoves Bus company ambitious aim to operate a zero emission fleet by 2030.

This co-funding support scheme comes in addition to the funding from the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen 2 Joint Undertaking (FCH2JU) as Brighton & Hoves Buses is a partner in the European project JIVE2, among 22 cities from across Europe. The other UK cities involved in the JIVE projects are Aberdeen, Birmingham, London and Dundee.

Hydrogen Transport Programme - Liverpool and Northern Ireland soon part of the "hydrogen club"

In addition to the dedicated Bus funding, (OLEV) announced the winners of the £23 million Hydrogen Transport Programme, with the aim of expanding the network of hydrogen refuelling stations alongside the deployment of fuel cell vehicles, building on the successes of the previous OLEV supported HRS Infrastructure Capital Grant Scheme.

This £23m Hydrogen Transport Programme will provide funding to support the roll out of hydrogen refuelling stations and fuel cell vehicles in the UK. Other UK areas will join the “club” of fuel cell bus cities :

  • Liverpool, with 25 fuel cell buses and a new refuelling station; Aberdeen, with 5 more buses co-funded (OLEV co-funding support: £6.4 million)
  • Northern Ireland, with 3 fuel cell buses and a new refuelling station (OLEV co-funding support: £1.9 million)