Luxfer Gas Cylinders and Ricardo Trial Hydrogen Buses in Brighton

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Luxfer Gas Cylinders has partnered with Ricardo for trials of zero-emission double-decker hydrogen buses in Brighton, following tests conducted in Teesside. This collaboration aims to get closer to the goal of deploying 150 zero-emission hydrogen-powered buses on UK routes by 2024.

Luxfer has provided its expertise in alternative fuels to Ricardo, furnishing a purpose-built hydrogen storage solution for a Stagecoach North East prototype double-decker bus. The vehicle incorporates Luxfer's proprietary G-Stor™ H2 cylinders as part of a bespoke modular frame, housing 24.5kg of hydrogen in a five-cylinder system.

The bus, initially running on a diesel engine, was converted to operate using hydrogen fuel cell technology. After six weeks of trials in Teesside, it underwent testing on hilly routes in Brighton and Hove.

This project, partly funded by the Department for Transport through its Hydrogen Transport Hub Demonstration competition, aims to showcase the advantages of hydrogen as a sustainable option for passenger transport by extending the lifespan of existing diesel buses.

Jim Gregory, European Business Development Manager at Luxfer Gas Cylinders, emphasised the need to provide clean and environmentally-friendly options that are commercially viable, supporting the transition of the UK transport sector from diesel and petrol.

He stated, "Many operators who have invested in diesel vehicles are now left with stock that has a much shortened lifespan. Retrofitting buses to run on hydrogen makes sense, and at Luxfer, we have the capability to collaborate with partners to bring unique projects to fruition. Companies like Ricardo are making significant progress in adopting hydrogen technology, and we take pride in our role in creating the right conditions for others to follow suit."

Ricardo is presenting the hydrogen fuel cell-converted vehicle to operators, aiming to offer it at approximately half the cost of a new bus. The goal is to secure 50% matched funding investment, along with customer commitments, for an initial production run of 150 buses expected to enter service in late 2024.

Andrew Ennever, Head of Electrification at Ricardo, pointed out that this project holds substantial potential for supporting bus operators in their sustainability strategies. He explained, "With a strong track record in the sector, we chose to partner with Luxfer because their hydrogen cylinders aligned best with the design we had in mind, and the team had experience supplying this product to other bus manufacturers for conversion projects. Meeting tight deadlines was also crucial, and Luxfer was able to deliver what we needed promptly, providing support for designing and manufacturing the cylinder frames for a complete H2 delivery system."

The prototype exhibits a hydrogen consumption rate of 17km/kg (5.88kg/100km) and produces zero emissions when using green hydrogen. This consumption is comparable to current production fuel cell buses, with potential for further enhancements in the production phase. Ricardo estimates that extending the life of existing buses, rather than constructing new ones, could save 45,000kg of carbon dioxide emissions.

Gregory hopes that these efforts will persuade operators of the value in vehicle conversions, as retrofitting fleets will play a crucial role in incrementally scaling up the hydrogen infrastructure. He added, "While the hydrogen economy is gaining momentum, this isn't a new area for Luxfer – we've been at the forefront of gas storage solutions for 80 years, and we can leverage this experience to enhance hydrogen systems for a wide range of applications."

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