NanoSUN is delighted to announce that it has been selected by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to receive significant funding to develop its Pioneer Mobile Hydrogen Refuelling Station (HRS) as a low-carbon alternative to red diesel applications.
Named the successful recipient of over £450,000 in funding, NanoSUN will utilise the awarded grant to develop a flexible and affordable hydrogen refuelling infrastructure for off-road environments and hydrogen non-road mobile machinery (NRMM) – The Pioneer Mobile HRS!
In the March 2020 Budget, the UK Chancellor announced the partial removal of the entitlement to use red diesel and rebated biofuels from April 2022, to encourage the red diesel sector to decarbonise. As part of this announcement, BEIS launched the Red Diesel Replacement Competition in an aim to support the sector in developing replacement low-carbon fuels and systems at a price that is competitive with fossil fuels.
Hydrogen fuel can be a direct replacement to red diesel supplying fuel cell or internal combustion engine (ICE) powered applications. Its high energy density can power a variety of non-road mobile machinery. However, the current cohesion of a hydrogen supply chain is a limiting factor for industries, as it is affecting the accessibility and price per kilogram of hydrogen for the end user.
NanoSUN has recognised this issue and has developed its Pioneer as the solution. The Pioneer is a low-cost, mobile hydrogen refuelling station that stores, transports, and dispenses hydrogen from the point of production to the point of use in a single package. This functionality is integrated in a single 20ft container and acts as key component of the hydrogen supply chain. When partnered with hydrogen production and compression players, the Pioneer can provide a full hydrogen ‘plug & play’ operation, with end use prices competitive to white diesel.
The current Pioneer solution has been prototyped for on-road use and on-road hydrogen applications. The BEIS award will fund 70% of the total project costs to develop the existing Pioneer blueprint for off-road environments and for NRMM applications. This will reinforce the operational & safety aspects of the Pioneer for the chosen environment, allowing it to play a crucial role in enabling sectors to transition away from red diesel and towards a sustainable alternative in hydrogen.
“NanoSUN being selected as the recipient of this vital funding, is yet another demonstration of the UK’s commitment to a zero carbon future. We are delighted to once again collaborate with BEIS in the mission to deliver the missing piece of the puzzle that will bring the hydrogen refuelling infrastructure up to speed for the decarbonisation of another sector.” – Lee Juby, NanoSUN Commercial Director.
Development has already commenced in March 2022, with the completion date set for February 2023. If Phase one is successful, NanoSUN will progress on to Phase 2 in the mission to demonstrate a full end- to-end integrated solution of a hydrogen infrastructure and hydrogen powered NRMM.
“As we accelerate the UK’s energy independence by boosting clean, home-grown, affordable energy, it’s crucial that our industries reduce their reliance on fossil fuels. This investment will help them to not only cut emissions, but also save money on energy bills, on top of supporting jobs by encouraging green innovation across in the UK.” – Greg Hands, Energy and Climate Change Minister.
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