Hydrogen has a growing profile in public transport. But, as research from IMI shows, there are several bottlenecks to address before its potential can be realised.
Last year, we surveyed 300 senior decision-makers working in the sector across the UK, Italy and Germany. The aim was to better understand perceived barriers to wide-scale hydrogen adoption – and to explore whether progress is possible without having to wait for large-scale, centralised infrastructure projects.
The results, some of which are detailed in this article, present a challenging reality for local authorities. But there is cause for optimism, not least when considering the role of decentralised production.
Major grid upgrades are needed
One of the most pressing issues to emerge is the capacity of the electricity grid to support the ongoing electrification of society.
According to a report from the UK Energy Research Centre, many industrial sites across the UK will soon be unable to access the power needed to decarbonise their operations without a major upgrade to the country’s electricity network.[1]
Alarmingly, that same report projects that 42% of large sites could face power shortages by the end of the decade, rising to 77% by 2050. Similar concerns are also surfacing across Europe, where grid enhancements are increasingly seen as essential to easing systemic pressure.
This presents a clear challenge for public transport operators. Many are making strong progress in transitioning to battery-electric and hydrogen-powered fleets. But without reliable access to electricity these efforts could stall. While this is a worst-case scenario, it’s one that must be taken seriously, given the scale of investment and political coordination required to modernise national infrastructure.
IMI’s research only reinforces this idea. Well over 90% of those surveyed, for instance, expressed concern about the capacity of their grid connection as they transition to greener fuel sources. In other words, public transport currently has a viable model to keep today’s fleets running, yet it’s one that will become increasingly unreliable as we head further into the decade. That is, unless we think differently about accessibility and delivery.
Where’s the fuel coming from?
One of the more striking insights from the research concerns investment patterns. For instance, 21% of respondents said they had already purchased hydrogen vehicles, while 61% said they would invest in their fleet over the next two years.
At first glance, this appears to be a positive indicator – evidence that public transport operators are proactively addressing emissions. However, a closer look reveals a disconnect; only 25% of respondents said they currently have secure and reliable access to hydrogen fuelling infrastructure.
This mismatch raises serious concerns, a significant number of operators are committing public funds to hydrogen vehicles without having the infrastructure in place to support them. Without alternative means to generate, store, or access hydrogen, these investments risk becoming stranded assets.
The limited availability of national-scale hydrogen distribution networks only compounds the issue. In most cases, hydrogen is still delivered via compressed gas cylinders or tube trailers – methods that not only add logistical complexity but also introduce emissions that may offset some of hydrogen’s environmental benefits.
So, what can be done?
For now, decentralisation seems the best answer
Bottlenecks are hardly uncommon for an emerging technology, though for hydrogen there appears to be a critical imbalance in the market.
On one side, there’s strong momentum to scale up its use in transport; on the other, a clear shortfall in access and storage infrastructure. The latter is especially urgent as more than two-thirds of IMI’s survey respondents across the UK, Germany, and Italy identified safe hydrogen storage as a major barrier to deployment.
Decentralised electrolysis appears the best solution for the position most operators find themselves in – not least those who have already invested in vehicles. While not without its own limitations, this technology has a far more satisfactory answer to the challenges uncovered by IMI’s research. It’s compact, scalable and – most important of all – eliminates the waiting times that are inevitable with roll-out of centralised production and transport infrastructure.
But it’s not just about bringing the fuel closer to where it’s needed. Its ability to work more independently of the grid – via a connection to distributed energy resources – also affords the technology legitimately low-carbon credentials, as well as greater protection from the threat of power shortfalls.
Decentralised electrolysis is still developing, but it features timelines that are far more manageable. If hydrogen transport is to succeed – and in my opinion it must – then it’s an essential resource for addressing both short- and long-term challenges.
Andrea Pusceddu is Development Director for Hydrogen at IMI.
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[1] https://www.aldersgategroup.org.uk/publications/post/uk-industry-will-face-network-constraints-without-investment-in-critical-electricity-infrastructure/
