UK boosts low-carbon motoring investment

Date: 20/02/2012 16:38:09

The UK is vying to shift to a low-carbon economy and the mobile workforce is playing a huge part in that move.

According to the Freight Transport Association, a wide range of efficiency measures are being trialled by businesses up and down the country to ensure that the government's Carbon Reduction Scheme target remains achievable.

However, funding is also being allocated to research firms as the UK attempts to capitalise - and decarbonise - with the help of cutting-edge technologies like hydrogen fuel cells.

This week, the Carbon Trust announced that it was investing £500,000 in a new hydrogen fuel partnership between Acal Energy and ITM Power, with the hope of £5 million more to come if the project proves successful.

Ben Graziano, technology commercialisation manager at the Carbon Trust, said the move to reduce the cost of hydrogen fuel cell production was a timely one and would allow the new engines to compete with traditional, petrol-powered solutions.

"It is a very big opportunity. Fuel cells will have ... massive mass-market applications. The UK has world-leading technology," Mr Graziano added.