Teesside Airport was selected as one the UK’s first pilot areas to test hydrogen vehicles as part of the Tees Valley’s status as the country’s Hydrogen Transport Hub.

The £2.5MM project will see the airport, among other key Tees Valley organizations, have commercial and support vehicles fitted with 100% hydrogen zero emission engines. 

A ground support tug, which tows aircraft, will be converted to run on hydrogen by ULEMCo while global car manufacturer Toyota will supply two Mirai hydrogen fuel cell vehicles with a range of around 400 miles as well as a forklift truck for use. Trials will aim to show how hydrogen fuelled vehicles can be quick and easy to drive and refuel, cleaning up the air in our local areas, as we aim to meet our net zero ambitions.

One of the most wide-ranging projects will see Toyota deploying a number of hydrogen vehicles across the region’s rapid response services, such as emergency response units for the Cleveland Police and NHS patient support. 

It was announced, in September last year, that Tees Valley would be home to the UK’s first Hydrogen Transport Hub. The hub, in partnership with Teesside University, will form an innovation campus focused on clean energy research and development. It will lead research, development, and testing of new hydrogen transport technologies, including for cars, buses, trains, lorries, boats and planes.

"This comes on top of our other clean energy initiatives with low-carbon, hydrogen and renewable schemes taking place across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool," Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said. "We’ve got a long list of projects such as Teesworks with GE Renewable Energy’s massive wind turbine manufacturing facility and Net Zero Teesside’s carbon capture, utilization and storage project."

It was also announced that HV Systems plan to demonstrate the use of hydrogen in delivery vans in the Tees Valley area. The vans will be operated in collaboration with a leading supermarket chain, running between 19 superstores and their main distribution centre. The project aims to show how delivery vans fitted with fuel cells can have increased range, faster refuelling times than battery electric versions and speed parity with conventional diesel vehicles. Additionally, in collaboration with Sainsbury’s, Element Energy will also be trialling a hydrogen-powered HGV.

"With less than 100 days to go until COP26, I’m committed to supporting industry to develop innovative new technologies that will decarbonise transport, helping us to build back greener and level up the country," said Transport Secretary Grant Shapps. "By harnessing the power of hydrogen technology, we can pave the way for its use across all transport modes, creating cleaner, greener more efficient transport systems across the UK."