Liverpool firm ULEMCo secures £7.9m Government funding to develop hydrogen technology for fire engines, ambulances and street sweepers. Tony McDonough reports 

Liverpool firm ULEMCo will use £7.9m of Government funding to develop hydrogen fuel technologies for emergency vehicles such as fire engines and ambulances.

Based in Aintree, ULEMCo will use the cash to push forward with its HYER POWER project. This aims to develop a hydrogen fuel-cell range extender for electric vehicles in demanding roles. This includes fire engines and ambulances and street sweepers.

This latest funding is part of a £77m Government cash injection for a number of projects across the UK that are developing zero-emission vehicles.

Work on HYER POWER is led by ULEMCo, with partners Technical Services (UK), Altair, Emergency One and Oxfordshire County Council. 

Amanda Lyne, managing director of ULEMCo, said: “This project will transform the speed at which ULEMCo and our partners can develop really practical and cost effective zero-emission specialist vehicle solutions.

“Our feasibility work with users such as the fire and ambulance services have clearly shown that they need hydrogen solutions in their fleets to allow them to fully transition in time to meet net zero targets.”

The UK Hydrogen Strategy sets out how the Government, working with industry, is aiming to develop 10GW of hydrogen production capacity by 2030, for use across the economy.

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A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson added: “Zero-emission cars, vans and taxis are increasingly common.

“This cutting-edge work is going to mean clean, green vehicles designed and built in the UK can increasingly take on the toughest jobs too, from life-saving emergency services, to haulage and public transport.

“Our automotive industry keeps setting the pace globally and seizing the potential of new technologies.

“Today’s multi-million-pound boost will help them stay ahead of international competition, while delivering on our priority to grow the economy and support high-quality jobs.”