Is there a place for hydrogen in urban freight delivery?

Freight transport accounts for 8-15% of traffic flow in urban areas within the European Union. According to the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, most of these deliveries are undertaken by diesel-powered vehicles with disproportionate CO2, NOx, and particulate matter levels. Emissions in urban freight transport have sparked substantial debate over the future of urban delivery. Hydrogen and the fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) is one option being considered to replace the use of fossil fuels.

FCEV vehicles

"From a global perspective, hydrogen is an ideal potential energy storage medium," says Professor Sam Akehurst from The Institute for Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems (IAAPS). "Hydrogen is one of the primary methods where we can manage the energy balance on the electric grid. It works by utilising excess energy, then generates hydrogen through electrolysis and stores it for future applications."