James Bolton
Press & Corporate Comms Lead at Bosch UKJames Bolton, Press & Corporate Comms Lead at Bosch UK, explores the transformative potential of hydrogen in addressing the UK’s energy challenges and advancing Net Zero goals. Highlighting Bosch’s innovations, from hydrogen-powered lorries to building energy systems, he emphasises hydrogen’s role in creating a cleaner, more sustainable future.
Energy is often in the news these days. For a variety of reasons, it’s proving to be a hot topic. We have the challenges that have been created by the war in Ukraine and we have the long-term challenges of reaching Net Zero in the UK. How can the UK contribute to the rest of the world reaching climate neutrality? And how can we ensure energy is affordable for people and businesses?
Hydrogen: A Versatile Energy Solution
Hydrogen can provide an answer to many of these challenges. Bosch has invested significant amounts in research and development, with the ambition of making hydrogen a viable, everyday energy source.
It’s a fuel that’s abundant, it can be transported, and it can be stored. It can power anything from a bakery to a data centre, and from a lorry to a hospital. Bosch has developed technology that can be applied throughout the hydrogen economy as we strive to make hydrogen energy a reality.
What’s fascinating about hydrogen is that we’re seeing the dawn of a fuel that is likely to be a vital part of the UK’s energy mix for decades to come. The potential for hydrogen to transform the country is immense.
Transforming Heavy-Duty Transport
One example is heavy-duty vehicles. Hydrogen can bring about a world in which the tailpipes of the lorries travelling up and down our motorways are emitting not diesel fumes, but water. This is already a reality because Bosch has been supplying hydrogen fuel cells to US truck manufacturer Nikola for more than a year. This offers the potential to transform our logistics industry within a short timeframe.
Bosch has actually developed two methods of powering a lorry with hydrogen. One is via a fuel cell, which the Nikola lorry uses, and the other is via an internal combustion engine (ICE). At the start of 2024, the EU recognised the hydrogen ICE powertrain as being climate-neutral. Derived from established diesel and natural gas engines, this concept lets engine manufacturers use more than 90 per cent of existing development and production technologies. Bosch is developing the key components of the injection system for the hydrogen engine, and on-road trials have already started.
Driving Business Opportunities
There are so many opportunities for businesses when you develop a new energy source and take it from a theory to reality. For example, we’re also working on the technology that hydrogen refuelling stations require, parts of which are developed in the UK by our HydraForce subsidiary. We also develop the technology required for electrolysis. UK companies are often experts in their domains, and hydrogen provides an exciting opportunity for them to develop their technology, apply it to a new energy source and, ultimately, increase sales. There’s every chance that this will lead to export sales and will establish the UK as a go-to country for hydrogen technology.
Addressing Public Perceptions
To help this along, it’s important to educate the public. Too many people picture the Hindenburg airship disaster when they think of hydrogen, and not enough believe it’s possible to get to a point where green hydrogen is a reality.
Beyond transport, hydrogen can power buildings, whether they’re large or small. Working in a way that’s similar to a diesel generator, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) can supply electricity and heat. They can be connected together to power larger sites. Bosch has begun trialling this technology in the Hermann Josef Hospital in Erkelenz in Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. The 10 SOFC units provide around half of the hospital’s power, and this will result in a significant reduction in carbon emissions, as well as enabling a more efficient and affordable energy supply to the building.
Final Thought
The hydrogen wave is coming, and with significant investment, everything is falling into place to make hydrogen fuel a reality.
To learn more about the future of hydrogen, please click here.