Impact case study database

4.1. Input to and implementation of transport policy in Scotland

EaStCHEM Professor Irvine’s world-leading research in fuel cells and electrolysers, as exemplified by [R1-R5], together with his and Dr. Martin Smith’s techno-economic expertise [R6], led to both becoming leading technical advisors on the use of hydrogen for public transport in Scotland. Between 2006 and 2013, Irvine co-founded and led the Scottish Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association ( SHFCA) bringing together industry, academia and government, to promote the use of renewably generated (green) hydrogen and to create significant new industrial activity/jobs. Smith is presently on SHFCA’s board of directors. This “ extensive research experience and expertise…underpin many of the technological and policy activities that have arisen since the inception of SHFCA” [S1]. In 2005, Irvine was appointed to the Scottish Government’s Hydrogen Energy Group ( HEG), which formulated the initial hydrogen energy policy for Scotland as part of the 2009 Climate Change Bill and Renewables Action Plan for Scotland. This activity, together with input from major demonstrator projects, some driven by the technical expertise of and coordinated by Irvine and/or Smith (Section 4.2), has culminated in the publication of the Scottish Government’s Scottish “Hydrogen Policy Statement” (12-2020) [S2], which is an update of the 2015 document “2020 Routemap for Renewable Energy in Scotland”, on which Irvine consulted [S3]. This commits Scotland to the future decarbonisation of public transport using hydrogen, for which the Hydrogen Accelerator programme, led by Irvine, is one of the key drivers (Section 4.2c). The Scottish government, now committed to a Hydrogen economy, has already coordinated the investment of “ over GBP40,000,000”, which “ has been successfully invested or earmarked for ground-breaking hydrogen transport projects” over the past 5 years [S2, p39]. Based on its assessment, the Scottish Government estimates that the scale of the economic opportunity from the production and use of hydrogen transport will be “ over 300,000 jobs supported and Gross Value Added (GVA) impacts of GBP25,000,000,000 by 2045” [S2, p4].

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Figure 1. Timeline showing the development of impact from the primary underpinning research described in Section 2 (blue line and blue circles refer to publications referenced in Section 3).*

4.2. Demonstrations of the use of hydrogen for public transportation in Scotland

Irvine and Smith have both been actively involved in the implementation of the following projects, demonstrating the potential of hydrogen to power clean-emission public transport in Scotland (Figure 1).

(a) Aberdeen hydrogen buses. As a result of the hydrogen energy policy for Scotland set out by the HEG, Aberdeen City Council assembled Europe’s largest hydrogen-powered fleet of buses, supported by two hydrogen fuelling stations, funded as part of a 2015 green transport demonstration project (Figure 2a). This is one of the world’s largest, fully integrated, green transport demonstration projects [S4]. Relying on his techno-economic analysis, Smith built the original project consortium, which led to the project’s GBP19,000,000 EU funding [S4, S5] across a range of public and private sector partners.

In the first year (2015-2016), the fleet of 21 buses, operated by companies First and Stagecoach, had travelled 250,000 miles carrying more than 440,000 people (passengers). Using green electricity generation, there is now a significant 156t CO₂ emission reduction per H₂-bus per year [S5, p32]. Studies also showed a 40% reduction in NOx emissions within Aberdeen, which contributes to improved air quality [S5, p33]. As of 2018, Aberdeen’s hydrogen buses have carried over 1,600,000 people (passengers) and travelled approximately 1,000,000 miles.

Jo Bamford, owner and Executive Chairman of UK-based bus manufacturing company Wrightbus, remarked on 19-10-2020: “these buses represent much more than Aberdeen striving to reach a clean air, zero-carbon future. They represent the start of what could be a world-leading hydrogen economy here in Scotland which will bring with it multi-million-pound investments and tens of thousands of jobs.” [S4]

Recognizing the success of this program, an additional GBP4,500,000 has been awarded by the Scottish Government, as part of its Scottish Hydrogen Assessment commitment to decarbonise public transport, in order to procure 10 hydrogen double decker buses to add to the existing Aberdeen hydrogen bus fleet. Overall, approximately GBP40,000,000 has, or is being, invested in hydrogen mobility projects across Scotland, including refuelling infrastructure for Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow as of December 2020 (Section 4.2c) [S2, p41].

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Figure 2. a) Hydrogen-powered bus in Aberdeen; b) plan of the H₂ ferry in construction via HySeasIII*; c) ScotRail Class 314 electric set on its way to be converted into an H₂ train.

(b) Hydrogen Ferries. The HySeas program, initiated in 2011 by Smith and Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd, aims to deliver the world’s first hydrogen-powered zero-emission ferry (Figure 2b). Its current phase, HySeasIII, coordinated by Smith [S6], began in 2018 and targets vessel delivery. HySeasIII is funded by the EU (EUR12,000,000) in partnership with a consortium including Ferguson Marine Engineering Ltd (UK); Ballard Power Systems Europe (Denmark); Kongsberg Maritime AS (Norway); Interferry (Belgium); DLR Energy Systems Institute (Germany) and Orkney Islands Council as the operator. The first ferry is presently under construction in Glasgow. The ferry will be powered by renewable hydrogen generated from the *SHFCA-*initiated projects Surf’n’Turf and BIG HIT, both of which are also based in Orkney with combined investment of GBP13,000,000. These projects represent a substantial economic investment in Scotland and beyond, with accompanying jobs creation. The HySeasIII consortium won the 2019 award for The Innovation of the Year at The Green Awards.

(c) The Hydrogen Accelerator ( H₂A). Based on Irvine’s expertise in hydrogen technology and its implementation and his successful leadership of past and present demonstration projects, Transport Scotland engaged him to deliver the Hydrogen Accelerator ( H₂A) programme with an initial investment of GBP300,000. Based at the University of St. Andrews, H₂A links academic, public and commercial interests towards the development and deployment of hydrogen technologies and provides expertise and support to the design, development and implementation of transport initiatives across Scotland. As such it plays a central role in defining and delivering decarbonisation in Scotland, supporting the Scottish government’s commitment to its net-zero target of 2045, including support its ambition to phase out petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2032.

Although only launched in 07-2020, the H₂A has successfully achieved the following.

i) Arranged and awarded a GBP3,500,000 contract to Arcola Energy, a leading specialist in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, to build a showpiece hydrogen train (Figure 2c) using a Scottish supply chain for the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26, Glasgow 2021). This has led to the initial creation of 20 jobs to date at Arcola Energy located at the Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc ( MSIP) in Dundee [S7].

ii) Following from the successes of the Aberdeen H₂-bus roll out, the H₂A has delivered a techno-economic assessment of and provided the technical specification for the contract negotiations to purchase a fleet of 12 hydrogen buses and the associated hydrogen refuelling infrastructure (contract tendered: 12-2020) that have been ordered by Dundee City Council through the Scottish Cities Alliance (with each bus costed at just over GBP500,000, as part of the EUR25,000,000 Joint Initiative for hydrogen Vehicles across Europe – JIVE2 – project).

iii) In collaboration with Strathclyde Power Engineers, enabled the specification of a large scale GBP3,000,000 hydrogen and battery testing facility (LOCATE) at the MSIP.

The Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity in the Scottish government said: “ I’m pleased that we can establish a new Hydrogen Accelerator for Scotland at the University of St Andrews. With their renowned specialism in hydrogen technologies and innovation – this is a perfect match at a time when there is really exciting work in the sector taking place across Scotland… I wish Professor John Irvine and his team at St Andrews every success in supporting our flourishing hydrogen sector.” [S8].

Of the H₂A and the COP26 hydrogen train project, the Scottish Enterprise Managing Director noted that “ … this creates quality jobs and supports our national ambitions for a net zero carbon economy” [S9].

4.3. Direct commercialisation of EaStCHEM research for the production of green hydrogen for transportation

Since 2017, The Low Emissions Resources Global Ltd. ( LERG) has been associated with Irvine and has created 15 research positions (headcount: 15) involving the fabrication of electrolysers for H₂ production based on Irvine’s solid-state electrolytes [R3]. They have recently relocated to a R&D facility at the MSIP in Dundee [S10].